


J LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

# ...-"__.. 

{|hap. Si. IwigM |. 



* UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. | 



THE 

SICK MAN'S FRIEND 

CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE 

PRINCIPAL DISEASES 

TO WHICH MOST PERSONS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE 
LIABLE, TOGETHER WITH THEIR 

TREATMENT AND CURE, 

SIMPLIFIED SO THAT 

Every Man Can be his own Doctor, 

TO WHICH IS APPENDED A DISPENSATORY OF 

AMERICAN BOTANICAL MEDICINES 

— - — 

BY DR. G. WHITAKER, flEW YORK. 



E. H. HOUGH, PRINTER, HORNELLSVILLE, N. Y. 




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, 

By DR. G. WH.ITAKER, of New York, 

In the Clerk's Office of the United States District Court, for the 
Northern District of New York. 



INTRODUCTION, 



In preparing a Family Medical Friend, for 
private and popular use, and in such language 
so that people unacquainted with the terms and 
technicalities of the different medical professors 
may avail themselves of the information which 
it conveys, and apply the remedies which it pre- 
scribes, it has been the study and business ol the 
author of this work to simplify his description of 
diseases, and their treatment and remedies, so 
plain that any person who can read the English 
language, may understand what it means. In 
the medical profession, the most simple remedies 
are generally designated by many very long, 
hard names, for instance, Hydrargyri chloridum 
mite, sub murias hydrogyri mitis, calomelas sub- 
limatum. Now, all these big, long words, have 
no other meaning more nor less than the single 



IV INTRODUCTION. 

word Calomel, Again, Peppermint is an herb 
which every child knows by its name, yet the 
physicians call it menthexe piperitse herba, also 
orange peel is an equally familiar name known 
to every person, yet the physicians call it au- 
rantii cortex, once more, should the doctor write 
a prescription where brown sugar is one of the 
ingredients, he wouid be apt to call it saccharum 
non punflcatum. 

I will now give a prescription, 

Ijt. — Extractum Glycyrrhizse, 3j 
Aqua fulegii F §j 

M. quce distillate F §iij 

Imposing as this prescription is, such mysterious, 
long, crooked words may seem to you, they mean 
no more than 1 drachm ol the extract of liquorice, 
one ounce of Pennyroyal water and 3 ounces of 
pnre water mixed,the reader will perceive that all 
this great display of words is made for the next 
thin«2 to nothing, and could you" translate all the 
prescriptions that are sent to the druggist, for 
the writing of each the patient is charged fifty 
cents at least, you would find among them 
many of no greater value than the one that I 
have just written. 



INTRODUCTION. V 

It is not my wish to disparage the profession, 
but I would wish to undeceive some that are 
made to believe all the great skill lies in being 
able to use the latin terms and phrases, such as 
are not by everybody understood, in which the 
various medicines the doctors prescribe, are 
known in their books ; now, I believe, there can 
be a medical work calculated, and in so plain 
terms, as to afford nearly all the instruction of 
the diseases, their prevention and their cure, it 
can be written so that persons with only a common 
education, and an ordinary share of common 
sense, can understand it, and, in most cases, not 
only save the expense of a physician ; but by 
appropriate timely remedies, prevent themselves 
or their families from severe iits of sickness, 
which would weaken their constitutions uf ter 
minate prematurely their earthly existence. 
Now, such a work as this, the writer flatteis 
himself, is to be found in this little volume, and 
should it be carefully read, and necessary con- 
sulted, and judiciously followed, it may not pre- 
vent the necessity of calling; a physician some- 
times, yet it will save that trouble and expense 
frequently, and where families reside at a great 
distance from a physician, it is indispensably 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

necessary that they should be able, at times, to 
doctor themselves and their families, in all com- 
mon attacks of disease. In prepariug these 
sheets, the writer has, in connection with his 
own knowledge and experience, availed himself 
of, he thinks, at least, some of the best helps 
within his reach, from Doctors Zenant, Bachs, 
Howard, Thompson, and several Indians and 
others, which may be mentioned in the conclu- 
sion, therefore he has derived much help, both 
in the theory and practice of medicine, and also 
from Dr. Clemment, and a botanic dispensatory. 
One great object at which the author has aim- 
ed in compiling this work, is utility rather than 
originality, and having received an education 
himself, and withal some twenty -five years ex- 
perience in the healing art, he flatters himself 
that he is somewhat able to select the good, from 
those wiiose practical knowledge has been ex- 
tensive in the profession, and to ofier to the pub- 
lic a work suitably adapted to the general use- 
fulness as a Sick Family Friend. He would 
also add, that in preparing this book he has Lad 
three important things in view, 
1st. —The prevention of disease. 



INTRODUCTION. Vll 

2d. — The arrest of disease when threatened 
by it, and 

3d. — The cure of disease when once it fully 
fastens upon the patient. 

By following out the directions furnished in 
this volume, the author feels confident that much 
success will attend, with regard to the 1st and 2d, 
without any further medical advice, but as for the 
3d, he cannot speak so confidently, because it is 
not so easy a matter to cure disease as may be 
imagined, unless the principles are carried out. 
Many get w r ell under the hands of physicians 
who are net cured, but they recover in spite of 
their doctors, and yet the doctors get the credit 
of curing them, but still the author would say, 
when once a dangerous disease fastens upon you, 
do not attempt to be your own physician, but 
send for the best skillful medical man you can 
find, the author would prefer a botanic. Safety 
lies in not allowing the disease to progress thus 
far. A stitch in time saves nine, is a common 
and true proverb. A dose of medicine, when 
threatened with disease, and a little careful nurs- 
ing for a day, is the stitch in time, or equally 
important it is to take such care of ourselves, as 



Vlll INTRODUCTION. 

to diet, exercise, etc , as will tend to prevent even 
any exposure to disease, in order for this in some 
sense, though every man may have his medieai 
adviser, yet he should be his own doctor, and 
with a little observation and applying himself 
to studying this little volume, may acquire a 
sufficient amount of knowledge of his own con- 
stitution, and the means by which his health 
may be promoted, as to be able to prescribe for 
himself and his family as correctly and skillfully 
as his medical adviser would if he were sent for, 
at least in all ordinary cases of indisposition. 

I may add, that the style of this work, so far 
as practical, has been rendered simple, and the 
words and phrases, selected with special refer- 
ence to the ordinary language of persons not ac 
customed to medical terms. 

The Author. 



GENERAL RULES FOR PRACTICE. 



RULE FIRST. 

In all complaints whatever, where you find 
the pulse quick, hard, full and strong, foul 
tongue, hot skin, and headache, or other symp- 
toms of an inflammatory character, the proper 
course is to reduce it, for which, sweat; soon after 
the sweat starts, give an emetic, after its opera, 
tion, physic, sometimes bathe and poultice the 
feet, and abstinence from food. 

RULE SECOND. 

If, on the other hand, the pulse be found 
small, soft, feeble, and intermitting, dark tongue, 
and general languor, the whole plan must be 
changed except one, give physic and warm diet 
mild tonics. 



10 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 



RULE THIRD. 



Let the apartments of the sick be kept well 
ventilated, fresh air is an important remedial 
agent in all diseases, but be sure to always 
avoid a current of air upon the patient, this last 
remark as much concerns the well as the sick. 

RULE FOURTH. 

By observing carefully the effect of the vari- 
ous articles of food upon your own health, you 
will learn soon what is best adapted to your na- 
ture ; always choose that which experience has 
proved to be the best for you. 



RULES GUIDING TO HEALTH. 



RULE FIRST. 

Persons whose muscles are weak and relaxed, 
ought to avoid all such things as are difficult of 
digestion, their diet, however, should be nour- 
ishing, and they should take sufficient exercise 
in the open air. 

RULE SECOND. 

Such as are very lull of blood should be spare- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 11 

ing in the use of everything that is very nourish- 
ing, as fat meat, rich wine, strong ales, and such 
like; their food should chiefly consist of bread 
and other vegetable substances, and their drink 
ought to be water, buttermilk or small beer. 

RULE THIRD. 

Fat people should not eat meat at all, but 
should foUow a vegetable diet, their drink should 
be water, principally, if tea and coffee at all, 
very weak, much exercise and little sleep, those 
who are too ^ean may follow an opposite course, 
if their digestive organs will permit. 

RULE FOURTH. 

Such as are troubled with acidities, or whose 
food is apt to sour on their stomach, should 
cleanse their stomach and bowels often, and be 
regular as to their diet. 

RULE FIFTH. 

People who are afflicted with Gout. Hypo- 
chondriac or Hysteric disorders, ought to avoid 
all food that produces wind in the stomach, and 
everything that is hard of digestion, all salted 
or smoke-dried provisions, and whatever is hard 



12 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

acid, or apt to turn sour upon the stomach. 
Their food should be light, spare, cool, and of an 
opening or looseniug nature. 

RULE SIXTH. 

The diet ought not only to be suited to the age 
and constitution, but also to the manner of life, 
a sedentary or studious person should live more 
sparingly than one who labors hard out of doors, 
many kinds of food will nourish a farmer well 
which would prove almost indigestible to a citi- 
zen, and the latter would live upon a diet on 
which a farmer would starve. 

RULE SEVENTH. 

Diet ought not to be too uniform, the constant 
use of one kind of food might have some bad 
effects ; nature teaches us this, by the great va- 
riety of food which she has provided for man, 
and likewise by giving him an appetite for dif- 
ferent kinds of food. 

RULE EIGHTH. 

Those who labor under any particular disease 
ought to regulate their diet accordingly; for ex- 
ample, a gouty person should not indulge in fat 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 13 

meats, strong soups, or gravies, and should avoid 
all acids ; one who is troubled with gravel ought 
to shun all sour and astringent aliments, and 
those who are affected with a diseased skin 
should be sparing in the use of fat and salted 
provisions, 

RULE NINTH. 

It has always been an established rule, with 
respect to diet, that the softer and milder kinds 
of food are best adapted for children, and youno* 
subjects generally, that for grown up people the 
more substantial is necessary, and with regard 
to old people, they should gradually, as they ad- 
vance towards their climax, lessen the quantity 
of solid food, while they increase that of the 
lighter kind, with more drink; this, however, 
should be done very gradually. 

RULE TENTH. 

It is not only necessary for health that our 
diet be wholesome, but also that it be taken at 
regular periods. Some imagine that long fast- 
ing will atone for excess, but this, instead of 
mending the matter, generally makes it worse, 
when the stomach and intestines are over dis- 



14 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

tended with food, they lose their proper tone, 
and by long tasting they become weak and in- 
flated with wind, thus, either gluttony or fasting 
destroys the power of digestion. Fasting is ex- 
tremely hurtful to the young, it vitiates their 
humors, and prevents their growth, it is also 
dangerous for the aged. Old people, when their 
stomachs are empty, are frequently seized with 
a giddines, headache, and faintness, these com- 
plaints may generally be removed by a piece of 
bread aad a glass of wine, or taking any other 
solid food, which plainly points out the method 
of preventing them. It is more than probable 
that many of the sudden deaths which happen 
in the advanced periods of life, are occasioned 
by fasting too long, as it exhausts the spirits 
and fills the bowels with wind, persons, there- 
fore, in the decline of life, never ought to allow 
their stomachs to be too long empty. 

RULE ELEVENTH. 

When we recommend regularity in diet, we 
would not be understood as condemning every 
small deviation from it. It is next to impossi- 
ble for people at all times to avoid some degree 



15 

of excess, and living too much by rule might 
make even the smallest deviation dangerous. 
It may, therefore, be prudent to vary a little 
sometimes, taking more or less, and of different 
kinds of food and drink, provided, always, that 
a due regard be had to moderation. 

RULE TWELFTH. 

Having passed through with my labor as rep- 
resented in the introduction of this volume, 
without making any remarks with regard to any 
other practitioners, but let me here say, bleed, 
blister and mercury never entered into my 
practice, as I could not find any cases where it 
was required. These agents were the first of my 
reading medical books, after two years study, I 
condemned the whole of it; then read Dr. 
Thompson's Works, found some good things in 
them, but not satisfied until I had gone through 
with the botanic practice, which has been my en- 
deavor to support these twenty-five years past, 
but in the course of this time I have witnessed so 
many patent medicines, and how highly they are 
puffed in almost every newspaper and almanac, 
they ought not to pass without some notice. 

Did people know the ingredients of the nos- 
trums which they purchase, they would lose all 



16 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

confidence in them. The basis of their applica- 
tions is usually arsenic, mercury, or some other 
poisonous article. It is said, most of the lozen- 
ges and worm preparations contain mercury, 
also many other remedies, highly extolled, con- 
tain the same deleterious article, many of the 
syrups and panaceas denominated vegetable, 
contain corrosive sublimate. Now, it appears to 
me, that nostrums and patent medicines ought 
to be ranked with the greatest evils to which 
our country is exposed, and one also which has 
not been felt the least, is the use of nostrums 
and patent medicines, the great number of which 
that are offered for sale at the present day are 
almost innumerable, each of which is recom- 
mended to be a specific for nearly or quite all of 
the diseases to which a human being is subject. 
Now it is high time the public should arise, and 
open their eyes and resist these gross impositions 
which have been the cause of many premature 
and untimely deaths. The honest and unsus- 
pecting sufferers, who are laboring under afflict- 
ing diseases, feeling anxious for relief, and being 
induced by the high recommendation attached 
to these drugs, and likewise being ignorant of 
their composition, vainly trust in them for relief 



the sicfi Man's Friend, if 

till many times their complaints advance beyond 
the reach of the most efficacious and judiciously 
applied remedy. Such cases have came under 
my observation several times. Did the public 
know the composition of these nostrums, which 
they certainly ought, before hazarding the appli- 
cation of them, they would undoubtedly detest 
the most of them as odious and baneful. The 
nostrum called Panacea, contains for its base, 
corrosive sublimate, upon which all its virtues 
and activity depend. This is a fact which has 
been demonstrated by the most eminent chemists. 
Now, corrosive sublimate is a preparation of 
mercury, of which, if a few grains should be 
taken into the stomach, it would undoubtedly 
produce death in a short time, if not immediate- 
ly counteracted. The Welch Medicamentum, 
of which it is said, if a person uses he will never 
need nor require the healing art, is nothing more 
nor less than a compound of tincture of Aloes^ 
diluted and mixed with a few aromatics, more 
to disguise it than to sooth its operation. The 
virtues of Anderson's Cough Drops depend on 
the Opium which they contain, also the prepar- 
ation sold for the cure of Dysyepsia, and which 
has gained considerable credit, is wholly depend- 



18 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

ent on Prussic Acid for its active agency. Prus- 
sic Acid is a substance which, if one drop should 
be applied to the tongue, in its concentrated 
state, would produce death as quick as an elec- 
tric shock. Be particular, as you value your 
lives and health, to avoid all patent medicines of 
which you know not the nature nor composition, 
and the practising physician who uses or recom- 
mends to his patients these articles, only indi- 
rectly, acknowledges that he has no confidence 
in his own preparations of medicine, and his 
ignorance of the healing art. Pease's Hoarhound 
Candy, as well as most of the compounds ad- 
vertised, are base impositions, and I would ask 
what kind of a conscience can these nostrum 
mongers have, thus to cheat and wrong the sick 
out of their hard earnings? Says one, why do 
not the editors of papers expose such villiany ? 
Answer, because, no doubt, their interest is at 
stake. If any one wishes for a medicine that 
will infalliably cure every disease to which the 
human flesh is heir, he has only to take up the 
nearest paper and he will find it advertised ! 

The distinguished Hoffman lays down as one 
of his seven rules of general health: u Avoid 
medicine and physicians, if you value your 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 19 

health," and he might have added, the calami- 
tous, pernicious, and wide-spreading evil of the 
eternal and suicidal mania of pilling, pilling, 
drugging, drugging. The whole land is flooded, 
from Dan to "Beersheba, with quack medicines, 
and there is no knowing what amount of injury 
they inflict on a diseased community. The evil 
ought to be met, overcome, and destroyed, peo- 
ple must be convinced of the nature and effects 
of those compounds put into circulation for gain, 
and besides, there must be placed before them a 
judicious practice of medicine, then, if after all 
this, they will use nostrums, there is no hope of 
their reformation, let them be humbugged, what 
more could be done? A word to the wise is 
generally sufficient. 



A WORD TO THE WISE. 



As perfect health is the greatest earthly bless- 
ing we can enjoy, without which all other bless- 
ing are of little consequence, disease may be 
considered the consequence of the immoral con- 
duct of man, in deviating from a line prescribed 
by his Maker. The powers of life may be com- 



20 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

pared to the oil in a lamp, in time they will be 
exhausted, they may be supported or diminished; 
when exhausted, death invariably closes the 
drama. 

Death from mere old age may be compared to 
the extinction of the light when the oil is all 
consumed, and death from^disease, to the blow- 
ing out of the light w T hen the oil is not all con- 
sumed, and might have burned longer. There 
are laws in nature by which man maj r arrive to 
maturity, to the summit of health and vigor, and 
there are laws by which his powers of life are 
lessened, and finally exhausted. These are the 
bounds which he cannot pass. 

O, Temperance, thou physician of the soul as 
well as the body, the best guardian of youth and 
support of old age, the goddess of health and 
universal medicine of life, that clears the head 
and cleanses the blood, that euses the stomach 
and strengthens the nerves, enlightens the eyes, 
and comforts the heart, and thereby avoids the 
fumes and winds to which we owe the colic and 
spleen, those cruelties and sharp humors that 
feed the scurvy and gout, and many other dis- 
eases ; and yet so little notion have the general- 



THE SICK MAN'S FKIEND, 21 

ity of mankind of the virtue of temperance, that 
life with them is nearly one continued scene of 
intemperance. To what cause, so much as to in- 
temperance, are owing faded youth and prema- 
ture old age, an enervated body and an enfeebled 
mind, together with all that long train of diseases 
which the indulgence of appetite and sense have 
introduced into the world. Health, cheerfulness 
and vigor, are well-known .to be the offspring of 
temperance. The man of moderation culls the 
flowers of every allowable gratification without 
dwelling upon it until the flavor be lost. He 
tastes the sweets of every pleasure without pur- 
suing it till the bitter dregs rise; whereas, the 
man of the opposite character dips so deep as to 
stir up an impure and noxious sediment, which 
lies at the bottom of the cup. How quickly does 
the immoderate pursuit of carnal pleasures or 
the abuse of intoxicating liquors ruin the best 
constitutions. Indeed these vices generally go 
hand in hand. Hence it is that we so often be- 
hold the votaries of Bacchus and Venus, even 
before they have arrived at the prime of life, 
worn out with disease, and hastening with swift 
pace to an untimely grave. Did men reflect on 
the painful diseases and premature deaths which 



22 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

are daily occasioned by intemperance, it would 
be sufficient to make them shrink back with 
horror from the indulgence even of their dar- 
ling pleasure. The innocent too often feel the 
direful effects of it. How many wretched or- 
phans are to be seen embracing dung-hills, whose 
parents, regardless of the future, spend in riot 
and drunkenness, what might have served to 
bring up their offspring in a decent manner ? 
How often do we behold the miserable mother, 
w T ith her helpless infants pining in want, while 
the cruel father is indulging his insatiate appe- 
tite ? 



■:o:- 



TOBACCO. 



The use of tobacco has become so prevalent 
in this country, that a large majority either 
snuff, smoke or chew it. When we take into 
consideration the disagreeable and repulsive 
character of this production to the uninitiated 
palate, it is truly surprising that it should ever 
have been thought of as an article for such use 
at all. Many, however, are not aware of its per- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 23 

nicious effects ; I propose, therefore, to exhibit 
some ot these effects in their true colors, in the 
hopes of inducing some to abandon those bane- 
ful habits. It should be understood .then, that 
tobacco is an actual and virulent poison. First, 
the chemists tell us that tobacco leaves, distilled 
in a retort, without addition, yields an acrid, 
empyreumatic, poisonous oil, seeing that a single 
drop of the chemical oil of tobacco, applied to the 
tongue of a cat. has produced violent convul- 
sions, and caused death in one minute, and a 
thread dipped in the same oil and drawn through 
a wound made by a needle in an animal, has 
killed it in seven minutes. Some of those evils 
we will here bring into view. As to smoking, 
every medical man knows that the saliva, which 
is so copiously drained off by the pipe, is the 
first and greatest agent which nature employs 
in digesting food; chewing likewise drains oft 
this liquid so necessary to digestion, who can 
wonder at the dizziness, the pain in the head, the 
faintness, the pain in the stomach, weakness, 
tremulousness, huskiness of the voice, disturbed 
sleep, nightmare, mental depression, epilepsy, 
and even mental derangement, of the victim of 



24- THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEiND. 

tobacco. It fixes its deadly grasp upon the or- 
gans of vitality, gradually undermining the 
health and sowing the seeds of disease, which 
are sure, sooner or later, to take root and spring 
up, carrying away its victim to a premature 
grave. It seems to act directly upon the nervous 
system, enfeebling, exhausting or destroying the 
powers of life, it diminishes the sensibility of 
the lining membrane of the nose, mouth and 
stomach, it has a direct tendency to produce 
dyspepsia, with all its direful train of symptoms, 
it is said, almost every case of cancer on the 
under lip are caused by the pipe. Dr. Borrhi 
states, that the brain of the immoderate smoker, 
on dissection, was found dried and shrivelled up 
by his excessive use of the pipe. Tobacco pro- 
duces a dryness or huskiness of the mouth, thus 
creating a thirst, which, in many cases is not 
satiated w T ith anything short of alcohoic drinks ; 
in this way the use of tobacco often lays the 
foundation of drunkenness. To this dark cata- 
logue of evils, arising from the use of tobacco, 
may be added the turbid nostril, the besmeared 
lip, the spitting of saliva imbued with this 
baneful narcotic, on the floor, furniture, and even 
upon the clothes of those around them, the foul 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 25 

and offensive breath, which, to those whose ol- 
factories have not been perverted by the use of 
narcotics, is almost insupportable, the use of to- 
bacco is a waste of money. The loss of time is 
likewise another serious evil connected with the 
use of tobacco, some spend three, four, five and 
even six hours in twenty-four in smoking. 

To the consumer of tobacco let me now say, 
desist. First, for the sake of your health, which 
must be materially injured, if not destroyed by 
it ; secondly, for the sake of your property ; 
thirdly, lor the sake of your time, a large por- 
tion of which is irreparably lost, particularly in 
smoking ; fourthly, for the sake of your friends, 
who cannot fail to be pained in your company ; 
fifthly, for the sake of your voice, a continuance 
in it will infallibly ruin it, as the nasal passages 
are almost obliterated by it ; sixthly, for the sake 
of your memory that it may be vigorous and re- 
tentive, and for the sake of your judgment, that 
it may be clear and correct to the end; lastly, 
for the sake of your soul, do you not think that 
Ood will visit you for your loss of time, waste of 
money, and needless self-indulgence. Have you 
not seen that the use of tobacco leads to drunk- 



26 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

enness, do you not know that habitual smokers 
have the drinking vessel often at hand, and fre- 
quently apply to it, nor is it any wonder, for the 
quantity of necessary moisture which is drawn 
off from the mouth, etc,, by these means, must 
be supplied in some other way. You tremble at 
the thought, and well you may, for you are in 
great danger, may God look upon and save you 
before it be too late. It is with pain of heart 
that I am obliged to say, I have known several, 
who, through their immoderate attachment to 
the pipe, have become mere sots. There are 
others who are walking unconcernedly in the 
same dangerous road. I tremble for them. 
Should these lines fall into their hands, or salute 
their ears, may they receive it as a warning from 
God. 

Should all other arguments fail to produce a 
reformation in the conduct of tobacco consumers, 
there is one which is addressed to good breeding 
and benevolence, which for the sake of politeness 
and humanity, should prevail. Consider how 
disagreeable your custom is to those who do not 
follow it, an atmosphere of tobacco effluvia sur- 
rounds you whithersoever you go, every article 



THE SICK MAN^S FRIEND 27 

about you smells of it, your apartments, your 
clothes, and even your very breath; nor is there 
a smell in nature more disagreeable than that of 
stale tobacco, arising in warm exhalations from 
the human body, rendered still more offensive by 
passing through the pores, and becoming strong- 
ly impregnated with that noxious matter which 
was before insensibly perspired. Consider what 
pain your friends may be pat to in standing 
near you, in order to consult yoii on some impor- 
tant business, or to be improved by your conver- 
sation, in the black stinking fume thereof, nearest 
resembling the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit 
that is bottomless. 



:o:- 



FEVERS IN GENERAL. 



Of all the morbid affections of which the hu- 
man body is susceptible, fever is the most im- 
portant^ ecause the most common and most fa- 
tal disease with which we meet. Some diseases 
are always accompanied by fever, others are not 
always attended by it, but in those which are 



28 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

not we must be prepared tor it if it should make 
its appearance. By the presence or absence of 
fever all our plans of treatment are regulated, 
and by the degrees ot its violence we are enabled 
to estimate the danger in each particular case. 
When a person is suddenly seized with shiver- 
ings or rigors, followed by a hot skin, a quick 
pulse, thirst, loss of appetite, uneasiness, and a 
feeling of general languor and lassitude, he is 
said to have an attack of fever. As before ob- 
served, shivering or chilliness is the first symp- 
tom of tever, and though sometimes very slight, 
it is, perhaps, that is never wanting. In some 
cases the rigors or cold chills are so violent as 
to make the teeth chatter, and the patient com- 
plains bitterly of cold, his limbs tremble, the 
features shrink, and the skin is contracted, pale, 
and rough to the touch, there is generally a pain 
in the back, head and limbs, with tightness 
across the breast, sometimes a sensation is felt 
as though cold water is running down the back. 
The chills subside by degrees, and are succeeded 
by a heat of the body much greater than the 
natural warmth, the color of the skin returns, 
the cheeks become flushed, the eyes are suffused, 



THE sick man's friend. 29 

and the features generally appear fuller than in 
health, this is called the hot stage of fever, as 
in the case of ague, goes off in an hour or two 
commonly, or may continue longer, as in com- 
mon continued fever ; after the hot stage has 
subsided, the swelling stage commences, the 
breathing becomes free and easy, the pulse soft- 
er, and the urine after standing a while, depos- 
its a sediment at the bottom which is generally 
the color of brick dust, sometimes yellow, and 
the patient left free from pain, but much wearied, 
yet subject to the returns of all the symptoms 
of uncertain continuance and severity. 

The above are the most prominent symptoms 
of fever. I have thought them sufficient at pres- 
ent, as I shall have to notice the more minute 
derangements of the animal functions, when 
treating of individual diseases, but here permit 
me to say that the symqtoms vary in the same 
lever on different individuals, and on the same 
person in different places and under different 
circumstances. You will ask then, perhaps, 
how shall we proceed under so many circumstan- 
ces ? i answer, there is nothing more easy, if 
we remember one thing, and that is, that the 



30 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

same symptoms, wherever we find them, always 
require the very same treatment. You prescribe 
for a name, but to watch the symptoms, to treat 
the symptoms and nothing but the symptoms* 
Fever is an increased action of the heart and ar- 
teries, to expel from the system irritating matter, 
or to bring about a healthy action. It is some- 
times fatal, but this is rather to be attributed to 
the fault of the constitution than the disesae 
itself, or rather to the want of proper remedies. 
The plan of cure followed by the East Indians 
in fevers, where they cure the intermittent fever 
in one single day, this has been my course for 
years past, when called at the commencement of 
the disease, namely, by sweating, vomiting, pur- 
ging. All those that follow the same course, I 
think will have the same successs. As much 
speculation as there is respecting the nature of 
fever, we think there is no complaint that is more 
easily understood as regards causes, symptoms 
and treatment. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 31 

YELLOW FEVER. 



The Yellow Fever is, by some, considered as 
only a more intense form or higher degree of re- 
mittent lever, whilst others regard it as a distinct 
variety, or even species of fever. This fever 
makes its attack with a diversity of appearances 
and symptoms, some of which are common to 
all fevers, and others peculiar to itself; occasion- 
ally the symptoms are very mild, but more com- 
monly they are violent and distressing from the 
beginning, the heat of the skin, and pain in the 
head and limbs, usually increase during the first 
thirty-six hours, and then gradually decrease for 
the same length of time, so that at the end of 
seventy two hours, the patient is sometimes en- 
tirely free from all symptoms of the disease, and 
a speedy recovery takes place, but more com- 
monly there is only a short and partial remission, 
which in a few hours is followed by a far more 
distressing train of symptoms, particularly a 
burning sensation in the stomach, accompanied 
with almost constant sickness and straining to 
vomit, the pulse now becomes small, quick and 



32 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

irregular, the stomach painful on pressure, and 
generally a costive state of the bowels ; these 
symptoms, if not relieved by proper means, con- 
tinning to increase, are, in a short time, succeed- 
ed by a cessation of pain and fever, and a vom- 
iting of a flaky, dark colored matter resembling 
coffee grounds, or a mixture of soot and water, 
this matter, which is called the black vomit, is 
usually thrown up at short intervals, and appears 
to contain more fluid than has been drank. In 
this stage of the disease, during the intervals 
from vomiting, the patient feels so much ease 
that he imagines himself out of danger, and con- 
verses quite freely, though often incoherently, 
sometimes getting out of bed and walking the 
room, but is soon exhausted, and obliged to lie 
down, convulsions or lethargy generally follow 
these exertions, and the scene is quickly closed 
by the curtain of death. The symptoms which 
distinguish this fever from every other that has 
appeared in this country, are the suddenness of 
the attack, commencing in most cases without 
any preceding lassitude or indisposition, the red* 
ness of the eyes and flushing of the face, and the 
long continued paroxysm, being generally thirty- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 33 

six hours before any abatement takes place, to 
this may be added, the new and severe train of 
symptoms which soon follow the remission, the 
golden yellow color of the skin and the black 
vomit, in some instances, however, instead of the 
black vomiting, the patient becomes sleepy, and 
dies without a struggle, while in others, putrid 
symptoms of a most virulent character occur, 
and bleeding takes place from the nose, mouth > 
eyes, ears or bowels, &c. 



-:o:- 



TREATMENT. 



The only safe treatment is stimulation, the 
first step is to clear the stomach by an emetic, 
the second the bowels by a brisk purgative, the 
third to promote a copious perspiration as soon 
as possible, the sweating powders, assisted by 
hot bone-set tea are indispensable. The stomach 
in this complaint, is in a very irritable and mor- 
bid state, in consequence of a secretion of acrid, 
vitiated bile from the liver, probably an acid of 
a peculiar nature is generated, it therefore be- 



34 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

comes necessary to use the most prompt means 
to bring about a healthy state of these organs. 
Emetics have been given by almost all practi- 
tioners, by reason of the extreme irritability 
which exists, and that, too, very justly, except 
an opportuuity offers to prescribe before this 
state of the stomach appears, previous to which 
a vegetable emetic may be given with safety and 
advantage, it will have a tendency to mitigate 
the violence of the disease, ;,and act favorably 
upon the liver. It is indispenably necessary in 
any stage of this fever, to administer a brisk 
purgative, the same kind may be given as direct- 
ed in the preceding disease, viz: the common 
anti-bilious physic. "When the stomach is over- 
loaded with bilious matter it often acts as a mild 
emetic, then as a cathartic, evacuating the 
stomach and the first passages thoroughly, and 
exerting a healthy action upon the liver and the 
whole alimentary canal. These purgatives re- 
lieve the head, lessen the fever, and in every 
respect improve the condition of the patient. 
The whole surface, as early as possible, must be 
thoroughly bathed with a wash of vinegar, cay- 
enne pepper, salt, and a very little water, if the 



THE SICK MAN'S FJRIEND. 35 

vinegar be strong, bathe atleast every two hours 
through the day and night, if the patient does 
not sleep, or as often as the fever increases ; this 
will have a remarkable effect in allaying the fe- 
brile excitement. The transition from pain to 
relief, by this application, is truly surprising, 
not only in this but in all febrile diseases. Bone- 
set is also a very valuable remedy in yellow fe- 
ver. Make a strong tea of boneset, two quarts, 
add half pint of good brandy, the whole to be 
taken as soon as possible, and as warm as can 
be borne ; this, from its action upon all the ex- 
cretions, stomach, skin, etc.; this soon arrests the 
disease, and soon recovery may, with safety be 
looked for. The VVest Indians have no terror of 
contagion, they neither speak of or heed its im- 
portation, they know its true cause, and call yel- 
low fever the highest grade of indigenous bilious 
fevers among them. They have already, in most 
of the islands, rendered its effect mild and man- 
ageable, to a great extent among themselves, 
and may, by this simple practice, within reach 
of everybody, ultimately neutralize its conse- 
quences, perhaps to its final melioration. The 
great danger in all diseases is the application of 



60 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

too much art, interrupting the efforts of nature. 
:o: 

Intermittent Fever, Fever and Ague or Chill and 
Fever. 



This appellation is applied to that kind oi fever 
which consists of a succession of paroxysms or 
fever, between each of which there is a distinct 
and perfect intermission from febrile symptoms. 
Different names have been applied to this fever, 
accoi ding to the distance of time observed be- 
tween the periods of its return, as first, second, 
third and fourth day ague. We shall divide this 
disease into three stages, viz : — 1st. The Cold 
stage. 2d. The Hot stage. 3d. The Sweating 
stage. Intermitting Fever generally begins with 
pain in the head and loins, weariness of the 
limbs, coldness of the extremities, stretching, 
yawning, with, sometimes, great sickness and 
vomiting, to which succeed shivering and vio- 
lent shaking, respiration is short and anxious, 
frequently delirious hot stage after the shivering; 
the heat of the body returns, then hot flushes 



THE SICK MA^S FRIEND 37 

soon bring on dry and burning heat, much above 
the natural standard, the skin, which was pale, 
becomes now swollen, tense and red, and tender 
to the touch; the sensibility in the cold stage is 
now very acute ; pains attack the head, and fly- 
ing pains are felt over various parts of the body, 
the pulse is quick, strong and hard, the tongue 
white, thirst great, and the urine high colored ; 
then comes on the sweating stage, a moisture 
soon comes on the face and oeek, which soon 
covers the whole body, the heat falls to its com- 
mon standard, the puke soon becomes full and 
free, the urine deposits a sediment, the bowels 
are no longer confined, sweating is free and full, 
all the functions are restored to their natural or- 
der. After a space of time the paroxysm returns 
and performs successional revolutions. Some 
times, in this fever, there is more or less deli- 
rium. 

The cure of the Fever arid Ague, Chill and 
Fever, is very easily and quickly done. 

Take 2 scruples sulphate quinine, ^ ounce pul- 
verized Cayenne, 25 drops oil vitriol 30 drops 
-spirits turpentine, put in a bottle, add three half 
pints soft water, shake well. 



38 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

DOSE. — One table spoonful three times a day, 
to be continued until all is used. It will stop, 
in most cases, the first dose taken, there may be, 
at the time for the next shake, some little symp- 
toms felt, but no more. If the stomach is foul 
take physia Where a person has had this dis- 
ease long, he must be recruited with the Wine 
Bitters, according to directions. 



-:o:- 



REMITTENT FEVER. 



By a Remittent Fever is to be understood that 
modification of fever which abates, but does not 
go entirely off before a fresh attack comes on, 
or, in other words, where one paroxysm follows 
another so quickly that the patient is never 
without some degree of fever. 



-:o:- 



CAUSES, 



Remittent fever is mostly induced as well as 
remittent by stagnant water, decaying remains 



39 

of animal and vegetable substances. It is very 
common on the borders of our great lakes, and 
on the rivers in the Western and South-Western 
sections of our country ; in warm climates, low 
marshes, dead-water, &c, these types of fever 
prevail epidemically. 



TREATMENT. 



This fever may be broken up on the first by 
s seating, vomiting and purging, but if the fever 
has got settled it will not do. Give an emetic or 
cathartic, aud the botanic Dover Powders, one- 
eighth of a level teaspoonful once in two hours 
if the fever is very high, if not, once in four 
hours, half-way between give a powder of qui- 
nine and carbonate of ammonia, mix together . 
Sweet Balsam tea for drink. 



-:o:- 



SCARLET FEVER. 



This fever receives its name from the scarlet 
color and eruptions which appear on the body. 
It occurs at all seasons of the year, but general- 



40 THE SICK MAN'S FRlENt?. 

ly in the fall or beginning of winter. It often 
seizes whole families, but children and yonng 
persons are more subject to it. The scarlet fe- 
ver commences with a chill and shivering like 
other kinds of fever, with nausea and often vom- 
iting, great sickness, succeeded by heat, thirst 
and headache, in a very mild degree, at others 
more violent, pulse and breathing quick, the 
eyes red and eyelids swollen. In two or three 
days the flesh begins to swell, a pricking sensa- 
tion is felt, and an eruption appears on the body 
in the form of a red stain or blotch, or rather of 
a fiery redness. It usually appears first on face, 
breast and arms, then over the whole body, of a 
uniform red color. The scarlet fever may be 
known from the measles by the eruptions of the 
former being more of a fiery redness, and cover- 
ing the whole body, and not as in measles, in 
distinct spots. 

Sweating medicines will be found useful in 
the commencement of this fever, so will the 
emetics. At the commencement of the fever 
purgatives are highly necessary, give the Dover 
powders and sweet balsam tea. "Wash the pa- 
tient often with vinegar, salt and water or with 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 41 

lye-water ; be careful that the patient does not 
take cold, to bring on a relapse, it will be wel* 
to stay in the house for a week or two. 



— :o: 



INFANTILE REMITTENT FEVER, 



This fever is mostly confined to children from 
one to six years old. It is very slow manifesting 
itself, by irregularity, sometimes costiveness, at 
other times by relaxation of the bowels. On its 
appearance the child is fretful, lips dry, hands 
hot, breath short, head painful, pulse quick, be- 
ing often to 120 in a minute, unwilling to stir or 
speak, starting in its sleep, rejects food, some- 
times very little is discharged by stool, at others 
too much, the stools being mucous or slimy* 
Some children are deiirious, or lost and stupid, 
some, for a time, are speechless. In the course 
of the day some slight fever, the child is drowsy ; 
at times the patient feels <cr appears middling 
well, at times more peevish than usual. This 
fever is mild at its commencement, slow in pro- 
gress, and very uncertain in its events. 



42 THE SICK MAN 1 S FRIEND. 

To cure this disease, first cleanse the stomach 
bj a gentle emetic, next the bowels by purga- 
tive, to moderate or pass off the febrile symptoms, 
then, if necessary, give strengthening medicine^ 
also give gentle physic two or three times a 
week. The child should be bathed often with 
vinegar and water, add some salt^ little warmed, 
if pain in the head wet cloths in the vinegar 
wash, apply to the head, also to the feet, keep 
up a moisture to the surface by the sweating 
powders ; when the fever is subdued, give 
strengthening medicines to recruit the patient. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 



The attack comes on suddenly, by pains in 
the back of the neck, shooting into the head, 
throbbing in the arteries ot the neck and tem- 
ples, redness of the face and about the eyes, ter- 
rible headache. First raise a sweat, bathe the 
feet in strong lye- water, give a purgative, bathe 
the head in strong camphor spirits, as hot as can 
be borne for some time. This cures- 



Me sick: man's friend. 43 

INFLAMMATORY FEVER. 



This type of fever is characterized by great 
inflammation, intense heat, frequent and strong 
pulse, flushed countenance, redness of the face, 
&c. It may be readily distinguished from, ty- 
phus, by its being attended with symptoms much 
more inflammatory. It makes its attacks at all 
seasons of the year, but is most common in the 
spring. Persons of all ages and habits are sub- 
ject to it, but more especially those in the vigor 
of life, with strong nerves and robust constitu- 
tions. It is a species of fever adapted to cold 
climates, seldom met with in warm ones. 



TREATMENT, 



I shall now point out the treatment to be pur- 
sued in this variety of fever. The first medicine 
to be given, whether there is costiveness or not> 
is anti- bilious purgative, a heaping teaspoonful 
with two of sugar, put in a tea cup, fill one- 
third full of boiling water, stir, let stand till 



44 Me sick man's FRtE^iD. 

cool, stir, take all. In ten or fifteen minuted 
take a cup of warm tea, keep warm- in bed. If 
it does not move the bowels in two hours give 
another, till the stomach and belly are well un* 
loaded of their filthy contents, after this give 
the strengthening powder and Dover powders, 
according to the severity of the case. If there 
is very high fever give the Dover once in two 
hours, if not, four hours, half-way between give 
the strengthening powder, continue these pow- 
ders until the fever has left. For drink, sweet 
balsam tea, as much as the patient wants to sat- 
isfy thirst; neither give or show food to the pa- 
tient until the appetite returns. Those powders 
and tea will support the patient without any- 
thing else, you will with this treatment feed out 
the fever in about four days. The above medi- 
cine will keep the patient's strength up, so that 
he will be about as strong as he was before, when 
well. 

* :o: ■— - 

SIMPLE CONTINUED FEVEfi. 



This fever was formerly called long fever, a 
sort of inflammatory, typhoid, or putrid symp- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEffD. 45 

toms, constitutes simple continued fever. What- 
soever has a tendency to debilitate the system 
may act as a cause of continued fever. This 
fever, taken in 'the commencement, by sweating, 
vomiting and purging, will be broken up at 
once, at least in 99 cases out of 100; if not, treat 
the same as in inflammatory fever. 

N. B. — In all kinds ot fever the patient should 
be washed with a solution of vinegar, water and 
salt, a little warm, wash three or four times a 
day, give the Dover's powders in sufficient quan- 
tity to keep up a little moisture on the surface. 
By so doing the disease is thrown out ; by wash- 
ing often it hastens out and off the fever, the 
patient soon gets well. 



-:o:- 



NERVOUS FEVER. 



This is also called long fever, slow, mild and 
typhus fever. The word typhus is derived from 
a Greek word, which signifies stupor, this being 
the characteristic symptom of the disease. This 
fever usually commences with a great degree of 
mildness in all its symptoms. It is generally 



46 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

preceded by slight indisposition for some days, 
succeeded by rigors or chills, debility, sighing 
and oppression in breathing, with nausea and 
loss of appetite, with an unpleasant, uneasy 
sensation in the pit of the stomach, the coun- 
tenance is pale and dejected, the eyes are dull 
and heavy, and there is tremor of the extremi- 
ties, sense of weariness. Toward evening there 
is some increase of these symptoms, if permitted 
to run, not being broken up at first. In the 
course of a few days, as the disease advances, 
there is oppression in the chest, urine high col- 
ored, confusion in the intellect, and great depres- 
sion of nervous energy, the tongue is dry at first, 
white coated, the pulse is generally, as I have 
found it, from fifty -five to seventy-five per min- 
ute ; this nervous fever, I have had a good many 
cases of, and have found but one course of treat- 
ment necessary, that is, administer hot bone-set 
tea, the patient will soon be in a good sweat, 
continue the tea until the patient vomits freely, 
after which, give purges to cleanse the bowels, 
to your surprise the patient is well the next day, 
but if the fever is seated, feed it out as recom- 
mended above, Dover powders, strengthening 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 47 

powders for the kidneys, to regulate the high 
colored water, the diuretic drops, one teaspoon- 
ful twice a day ; not only in this complaint, but 
in every case where the water is not of the reg- 
ular color. Those drops will mend the broken 
back that so many complain of while laboring 
under those fevers. 

I never urge food in fevers, it only protracts 
the tever. Of the number of cases under my 
treatment for the nervous fever, they are well 
about the fifth day, one case, the longest, was 
seven days. To such as follow my course will 
be pretty likely to meet with the same success. 



PUTRID MALIGNANT FEVER. 



This fever commences very suddenly, the 
patient complains of cold bitterly, soon of pain 
in the head, back, and the extremities, the chills 
are severe, the eyes appear full, heavy and yel- 
lowish, some inflamed, the tongue is dry and 
parched, breathing hard and interrupted with 
deep sighs, breath hot and offensive, pulse runs 



48 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

to 100 and often to 130 in a minute, the patient 
in an hour or so is so delirious that it is difficult 
to understand him, and soon becomes almost en- 
tirely unconscious. The malignant fever is 
adapted to the cold climate, the putrid to warm 
climates. 

Malignant fever made its appearance in Wes- 
tern New York about 1861 or 1862. A man 
got a bag of rye ground for bread, his son, a 
young man 20 years of age came home, they all 
ate of the bread, the young man was soon taken 
sick, a doctor was sent for, and on seeing the 
patient, called for counsel,decided it poison from 
rye. Other doctors visited for information, but 
universally decided it to be poison. I think the 
fourth day the young man died, soon the lady, 
next the man, all three died. The rye was fed 
to the pig, hens and dog, but it did not poison 
them. In the course of one week there was an- 
other case four miles from there which died in a 
few days, same disease, ate no rye. In a week 
or so my grandson was home with his mother on 
a visit, a boy seven years old, he was taken the 
same as others, complained, and had all the 
symptoms as described above. Having had this 



THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND. 49 

disease to treat in other places, I knew what to 
do. I did not see either of those that died. 



-:o:- 



TREATMENT. 



First gave hot bone-set tea till the sweat start- 
ed, with that he vomited, soon as vomiting was 
over, a rounded tea spoonful of Kheubarb, the 
same of cream tartar, one-third as much pearl 
soda mixed in a cup one-fourth full of cold water 
and gave at a dose. This emptied the stomach 
and bowels of all their morbid matter. It pass- 
ed and the disease went with it, the boy was 
free from the disease in one day. I have done 
the same to others. If this fever is not routed 
immediately it will prove fatal. It is contagious 
though, with proper care, it may be prevented. 
One good preventive is to cleanse the stomach 
and bowels every month. When symptoms of 
putrefaction occur, let good yeast be given free- 
ly, brewer's yeast is preferable, if it can be pro- 
cured. A wine glass full may be given every 
three hours through the day, in order to aid the 
process of sweating, and consequently to abate 



50 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

the febrile symptoms. Let the whole surface be 
thoroughly and repeatedly bathed with rinegar, 
water and salt, or tepid lye water. The happy 
and permanent effects of this practice, the aston- 
ishing power that it possesses to arrest and des- 
troy fevers of every grade, can only be known 
by those who have experienced it. It seems al- 
most capable at once of snatching the victim 
from the grave, it lowers the pulse, diminishes 
arterial excitement, removes pain, tension and 
congestion, equalizes the circulation, quenches 
thirst, procures rest and sleep, and, in short, is 
one of the best anti-febrile remedies which we 
possess. The examinations of those w T ho have 
died of fever, particularly of putrid malignant, 
in different parts of the world, show that the 
gall-bladder, and sometimes the first passages, 
are in a very congestive or morbid condition, 
and sometimes the spleen. A black and fetid 
fluid, resembling tar or coffee grounds is found 
secreted by the liver, which proves the necessity 
of resorting to prompt means in order to excite 
a healthy action of the secretions, or otherwise 
the system is in danger of sinking under the 
prostrating power of febrile poison, and it is, no 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 51 

doubt, owing to this poison that the intestines 
and contiguous organs are so frequently found 
inflamed and ulcerated. This state points out 
the advantage of giving freely ol yeast, and 
slippery elm bark, especially in advanced stages 
of the disease, as well as the treatment already 
recommended in the first stages. 



■:o:- 



PUERPERAL FEVER. 



This is a disease peculiar to women after de- 
livery. It is supposed to occasion the death of 
one-half who die in child-bed, This fever com- 
mences with rigor or chills, followed by great 
heat, ends in perspiration, the symptoms by 
which it is always accompanied, are pain in the 
region of the womb, is generally attended with 
pains resembling after pains, but have no inter- 
mission as they always have. The pulse rises 
after a while to 130 and 160 in a minute. In 
the cure of this disease, first subdue the inflam- 
matory symptoms, to effect this, sweating and 
purging are the two best and safest remedies to 



52 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 

be relied on. The sweating powders may be 
given every two hours until free perspiration is 
produced. Purgatives are important in reduc- 
ing this fever. The anti-bilious powder or rheu- 
barb, cream tartar and soda, and repeat once a 
day. If vomiting takes place, give the settling 
powder, made thus : One teaspoonful oi rheu- 
bard, one of cream tartar, one half soda, with 
one-third of a tea cup of cold water, stir. Dose 
one teaspoonful every eight or ten minutes, but 
drink no cold water after vomiting, if you do 
you cannot stop it. This powder, given in the 
manner directed stops vomiting in all eases, but 
all taken at once makes a good purgative. To 
ease soreness and swelling of the bowels, make 
use of fomentations, bitter herbs steeped in hot 
water well salted, applied as warm as the patient 
can bear, heat over as soon as cool. This disease 
is contagious among puerperal women, or in 
hospitals. All communication ought to be cut 
off between those that are affected and such as 
have been confined or expect shortly to be so* 



THE StCK MAN^ FRIEND, 53 

Chronic Inflammation of the Bronchia, 



This is often the result of acute bronchitis. It 
is a complaint which has become very common., 
Those afflicted with it find a loss of appetite, 
hearty food produces an awful distress at the 
pit of the stomach, troubled with lame back 
across the kidneys, urine scanty and red, bad 
cough and gagging on rising from bed. If the 
patient can raise a spoonful or two of white, 
frothy mucus, which resembles the white of an 
egg, he is generally free from cough till the next 
morning. 



-:o:- 



TREATMENL 



In the treatment of bronchitis, first an emetic 
as soon as out of bed in the morning. Mix 
equal parts of lobelia and blood-root. Dose, 1 
tablespoonful of this will bring up the mucus 
and relieve the cough ; apply the anodyde plas- 
ter to the pit of the stomach, one on the leftside 
where the sore spot is, on the back ; keep out of 



64 

the cold, wear flannel, be careful not to lift bard* 
In this complaint much depends on the diet, let 
the food be light and easy to digest, fat meat, 
butter and salt are hurtful. The patient may 
eat skimmed milk, with Indian bread and pud- 
ding, for drink, barley coffee ; no flour, in any 
shape should be used, as it is hurtful. If the 
bowels are not gently loose, take physic to keep 
them so. The anodyne plaster you find in the 
formula or receipts. 



-:o:- 



COLDS AND COUGHS, 



Colds and coughs should be attended to, they 
are the first steps leading to consumption. See 
Cough Drops in the receipts. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE EAR. 



This is an inflammation of the membranous 
well, furnished with nerves which are spread 
upon the internal surface of the ears, pain very 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 55 

great. If too severe, take hops, vinegar and 
water, simmer together, enclose the hops in a 
bag, apply them to the ear, continue the same 
till the pain subsides ; let the feet be bathed in 
warm water, if this fails, give an anodyne. If 
these fail, cut a stick of green hickory or walnut, 
place it to the fire, set a cup at each end to 
catch the sap ; by dropping into the ear occa- 
sionally it is said to be a sure cure. This is the 
Indian cure, it is well worth a trial. 



-:o:~ 



MUMPS, 



This is an inflammation of the glands situated 
at the corner of the jaw, just under the ear. It 
runs its course, one week ; it is contagious. The 
mumps seldom require medical treatment, but 
confinement to the house, warm fomentations 
and a dose of salts or other physic are all that 
is generally necessary in ordinary cases. Beware 
of taking cold, if the testicles become affected 
use fomentations to the parts, 



56 THE SICK MAN'S FKIEKD. 

CROUP. 



Croup is an inflammation of the lower pat-t 
of the windpipe, and is mostly prevalent among 
children ; they are most liable to it between the 
first and fifth year of life, sometimes later. 

Cure. — I have always given, soon aspossible^ 
a lobelia emetic, made thus: one-half teaspoon- 
full of the seeds and pods, one-halt teaspoon- 
full blood-root, pulverized, add three tablespoons- 
full of hot water, stir; when cool, give one tea 
spoon full every six or eight minutes till the 
child vomits well, at the same time spread goose 
oil or lard on cloth, cover with scotch snuff, ap- 
ply to the throat. 



:o:- 



Quinsy, or Inflammatory Sore Throat. 



This is an inflammation of the throat, affecting 
especially the glands called the tonsil glands, 
and spreading, in many instances, to the palate, 
tongue and nose. It usually runs its course in 
six or eight days. This is not considered a dig- 



THE sick man's friend. 57 

ease of much danger generally, yet it was that 
which deprived not only the United States, but 
the world, of its brightest ornament — George 
Washington — and thousands of others. In the 
incipient stages of quinsy, it is best to give an 
emetic, this often affords immediate relief. If 
the attack is very severe, and continues, the pa- 
tient should steam the throat with bitter herbs, 
wormwood, hops, catnip, equal parts, with vine- 
gar and rain water, boil one or two hours, put 
these into some convenient vessel, cover with a 
funnel, then let the patient inhale the steam for 
fifteen or twenty minutes each time, to be repeat- 
ed every two hours until the urgent symptoms 
are removed ; the herbs may be bound on the 
neck, this generally gives immediate relief. The 
quinsy liniment must now be applied to the 
throat. Take sweet or olive oil, hartshorn, cam- 
phor, mix, warm, bathe frequently, wear a piece 
of flannel around the neck. It will be well to 
gargle the throat with a gargle of vinegar, water 
and salt, sweetened with honey or molasses, fre- 
quently. Use the gargle, then administer a 
purgative. This is good in all diseases to cleanse 
the system, to carry off all that remains, so that 



58 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

there is none of the relics of the disease left. 
By close attention to keep the stomach cleansed* 
is a good preventive against disease. 



-:o:- 



ASTHMA. 



This disease is an affection of the lungs or the 
bronchial vessels, generally of a spasmodic na- 
ture, that occurs in paroxysms which take place 
usually at night, but more particularly the spas- 
modic, is brought on by almost everything which 
increases the action of the heart, and which 
stimulates and fills the vessels of the mucus 
membrane, or congestion of blood, or of serious 
humors in the lungs, noxious vapors arising from 
a decomposition of lead or arsenic, impure air, 
cold and foggy atmosphere, as asthma having 
once taken place it is apt to return periodically. 

To cure this complaint, many have prescribed 
a variety of medicines. Some are good, but I 
will only notice such as have come under my 
hand. Some twenty years ago, in Windsor, Vt., 
I made the following prescription for Isaac Gates, 
he had the asthma for fifteen years, did no work 



THE SICK MAN ? S FRIEND. 59 

at all, he was then very low. I gave fir balsam 
bark, say a piece two or three inches square, to 
lay on a shovel or pan of live coals, the outside 
down, which soon began to sraoke ; then to open 
his mouth, to inhale the smoke as long as he 
could bear it, and to continue this three or four 
times a day, and once a day a light emetic of 
lobelia, these were the only medicines used. I 
did not see him again for ten or twelve years, 
he informed me that his health was then restored, 
and had been ever since. A young man forty 
miles north of that place had the asthma, sever- 
al doctors attended him until they gave him up 
to die, for the consumption, theysaid, had set in 
and there was no hope of recovery, he used the 
bark, and inhaled so much the first time that it 
put him in such distress for a few moments that 
he thought he must say good bye, but vomiting 
soon took place, he raised one quart of bad 
stinking matter, then he felt relieved, and soon 
gained his health. Another cure recommended 
and tried by some that informed me of it, is to 
take pine turpentine, five table spoons full, fresh 
hogs lard, five table spoons full, warm, mix into 
this as much of the best loaf sugar as you can. 



60 

Dose. — A piece about the size of a chestnut 
three times a day has effected a cure. Try it. 



Inflammation of the Lungs. 

This disease attacks all classes, and is extreme- 
ly prevalent. It attacks principally those of a 
robust constitution and plethoric habits. 

My course in this disease, which terminates 
with good success is, first give a light emetic, 
then bathe the head, neck and breast with heat- 
ed camphor spirits as hot as the patient can bear 
for ten minutes then cover the neck and breast 
with flannel for a few minutes, bathe again, and 
so on till the inflammation subsides ; after give 
physic and occasionally an emetic. I have al- 
ways succeeded with this treatment. 

All local inflammations are to be treated as 
described in the above, with hot camphor spirits. 



PLEURISY. 



Pleurisy is to be treated w T ith pleurisy root 
tea, strong, and drank freely, then a portion of 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 61 

our anti-bilious physic, or some other may be 
given to cleanse the stomach and bowels. I 
sometimes administer a tea spoon full of hot 
drops, if the tea does not allay the pain. 



CONSUMPTION. 



The causes which produce this affecting mal- 
ady are, bleeding of the lungs, catarrh, asthma, 
and tubercles, the last of which is by far the 
most general. Intemperance in living, and folly 
of dress, serves to cause this disease ; this dress, 
tight lacing, till a female can hardly stoop or 
breathe, one minute in a heated ball room, or in 
a crowd in a state of perspiration, the next in 
extreme cold air ; a cough follows, next the hasty 
consumption. This disease is so well understood 
it does not require a very extensive catalogue of 
descriptions and causes, the cure is what the 
sick are after. 



TREATMENT. 



fc'or the cure of consumption I give a light 



62 THE SICK MAN'S FftlEND. 

emetic, for the cough, cough drops ; to brace up 
the stomach and system in general, the wine 
bitters. These you will find in the recipes in 
this work. 

Take two new layed fresh eggs, with the shells 
on ; put into one quart of good cider vinegar, let 
them stand forty-eight hours, then add three 
pounds of good strained honey. Mix. Dose, one 
table spoon full three times a day. It will be 
best to commence with one-half spoonful and in- 
crease the dose as the stomach will bear. I have 
cured several with these medicines, they are 
considered the best in the world. 



PALPITATION OF THE HEART. 



Use the palpitation pills, made thus: The 
yolk of one hen's egg, the same bulk of rock 
soot, same of black pepper, wet with vinegar, 
make into pills. Dose, one in the morning, two 
at night. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 63 

LIVER COMPLAINT. 



The most common symptom in liver complaint 
is a grin n pain in the back near the shoulder 
blades, another at the stomach, sometimes at 
the right or left side, some have this at the pit 
of the stomach, it is owing to what part of the 
the liver is is affected ; it is sometimes soreness 
between the neck and point of the shoulder, 
eyes sunken, with a dark circle surrounding 
them, and costiveness, a person cannot sleep on 
one side as well as the other. The above are the 
most prominent feelings in this disease. 



CURE. 



Take one-half ounce pulverized rheubarb, one 
tea spoon full cream tartar, half pint brandy, 
put together, shake. Dose, one table spoon full 
soon as you rise in the morning, continue this 
until it is all used. If costive shake it up, if not 
pour off clear. When this is all used, on the last 



64 

day, take four table spoons full of pulverized 
sage, two spoons full of rock soot, taken from a 
stone chimney, pulverized, put into a conveni- 
ent vessel, pour on one pint boiling water ; this 
is ready for the next morning soon as up. Dose, 
one and a half table spoons full with the yolk of 
an egg* Take this for three mornings, then omit 
three mornings, then commence again, three, 
omit three, and so on until you have taken nine e 
The first washes and cleanses the liver, he last 
heals it; this I have witnessed in post mortem 
examinations. In the last twenty years I have 
had not less than from fifteen to seventeen hun- 
dreds of patients, sufferiug from this complaint, 
and not one failure in all that number. It is- 
well to take some physic, say once in four or five 
days after you commence the second medicine, 
to carry off the offensive matter. 



-:o: 



DELIRIUM TREMENS, 



This disease occurs very often in these days 



THE SICK MA& ? S FiilE&b. 65 

amorig those who are addicted to an excessive 
use of ardent spirits, and such as indulge in the 
use of opium and other narcotics. It presents 
itself by trembling of the hands or whole frame, 
sleepiness, delusions of sight, talks wild and 
sometimes raves, and offers violence to himself 
and others. It is very dangerous, if not cured 
it rims its course in four or five days, and some- 
times ends in a fatal epileptic fit. These are 
pretty nice cases to administer for, but it can be 
done. I have given a dose of hot drops which 
set the patient singing for an hour, then went to 
sleep through the night, walked about the next 
day, and recovered. If vomiting occurs, give 
the settling powder, take one half tea spoon full 
of rheubarb, one half of cream tartar^ and one 
fourth soda with three table spoons full of cold 
water, mix, give one tea spoon full every five 
minutes, to allay vomiting. If this does not 
stop it give a large portion of the anti-bilious 
physic, as in the formula. Sometimes it cannot 
be done without physic, if you give an emetic, it 
should be mixed with the same kind of spirits 
that the patient has been in the habit of taking* 
Where there is too much wakefulness, give a 



66 tHE SiCiC MAN^S FItiENfr., 

common sized pill of opium once in two of 
three hours till sleep is procured, 

:o:- 

FLATULENT COLIC. 



Violent pains in the stomach, caused by eating 
unripe fruit, windy vegetables, and substances 
that disagree with the stomach. For this a 
physic is a good cure ; when the wind comes up 
shut the mouth, let it up then swallow it back, 
continue this, it will cure and stay cured, simple 
as it is. 



-:o:- 



MELANCHOLY. 

This disease is a low kind of delirium, with 
some fever, attended with fear, heaviness and 
sorrow, without any apparent occasion ; it is 
sometimes produced by gloomy and fanatical 
notions of religion, in some cases the feelings 
are so miserable that the patient seeks anoppor* 
tunity of putting an end to them by terminating 
his existence. To the above might be added a 
multitude of causes. In the treatment of this 
disease, first give one tea spoon full of anodyne 
drops, take one part tincture of bever castor, one 



ME SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND, 6? 

part tincture of assafoetida, one part paregoric, 
half part spirits camphor. Dose, one tea spoon 
ful, if this does not quiet in thirty minutes give 
two more, then the patient will be pretty likely 
to get some sleep ; after sleeping give a portion 
of the anti-bilious physic. At any time that 
the patient feels wild give the anodyne drops, 
also the wine bitters to strengthen the system, 
above all means the patient should have lively 
company. With this course of treatment I kept 
my wife quite comfortable for five years, then 
paralytic fits closed the scene with her. Some 
patients do not live more than a week* 



HYSTERICS. 



This disease is mostly adapted to females. It 
generally shows itself by causing the patient to 
laugh and cry without any visible cause ; it may 
be produced by various causes. In such cases, 
as soon as possible give an emetic. I have 
known several persons cured with one single 
dose of medicine, that is, take the scab from a 



68 

horses leg, steep it in spirits, and when the pa-^ 
tient is raving or quiet, give one tablk spoon full 
and there will be no more trouble. 



:o:- 



PALSY. 



This disease affects the nervous system by a 
loss of motion or feeling, or both, in one or more 
parts of the body* It may arise by an attack 
of apoplexy, in short, whatever tends to relax 
and enervate the system may likewise prove an 
occasional cause of this disease. 

For the last fifteen years my treatment in this 
disease has been as follows : The wine bitters 
and occasionally physic \ oil every mouthful of 
food, either grated horse radish, or mustard 
mixed with vinegar. I had a young lady brought 
to my house to be doctored, her right side was 
so she could walk some, but had no use of her 
right hand, in fact the whole of the right side 
from the top of her head to the feet was of but 
little use to her. I thought of electricity, every 
evening we took off our shoes and stockings, one 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 69 

placing their foot on the foot of the other, then 
crossing our wrists press the hollow of our hands 
together, in half a minute there would be a shock, 
in my right arm, in half a minute more she 
would look at her arm and say, that side feels 
like the other. In three weeks and four days she 
went home well. This is the course I intend to 
follow. 



-:o:- 



CRAMP IN THE STOMACH, 



This is a violent spasmodic pain in the stom- 
ach, so severe as to nearly occasion fainting. It 
is a disease that attacks people very suddenly, 
and it is very dangerous, it requires immediate 
attention. The best medicine is to give one tea 
spoonful of the hot drops ; if this does not do 
give again till it stops/ Feeble persons recruit 
with wine bitters. 



-:o:- 



HEARTBURN. 



This is not a disease of the heart, but an un- 
easy sensation or acrimony about the pit of the 



70 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

stomach. For this disease carbonate of mag- 
nesia is good ; a mild emetic followed by phy- 
sic, but my remedy is to take a piece of alum 
about the size of a pea, chew it and swallow, it 
very soon gives relief. 



-:o:- 



VOMITING. 



When occasioned by too much food, an emet- 
ic is to be administered to partly unload the 
stomach, but all cases of vomiting, from what- 
ever cause, can be stopped in a short time with 
the settling powders, rheubarb, cream tartar, 
one tea spoon full each, one half tea spoon full 
soda, five spoony full cold water, mix. Dose, 
one tea 6poon full once in six or eight minutes, 
but no cold water or drink to be taken after. I 
have succeeded with this remedy for twenty 
years, and only failed in one case, that case was 
where a man had used whisky for a number of 
years, and kept just about so far gone all the 
time. I was called in the morning, gave the 
usual remedy but it did not affect. About noon 
I administered a dose of anti-bilious physic 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 71 

which moved the bowels, the same looking mat- 
ter went down as had come up, the man soon 
recovered. 



•:o:- 



BLEEDING AT THE NOSE. 



I have frequently stopped by applying cold 
water to the nape of the neck and head, but 
when this would not do, take some tow hetcheled 
from flax, scorched brown, draw out and wet in 
strong vinegar, put around the neck. It will 
dry in one or two minutes, wet it aguin. 



-:o: 



CANKER THRUSH, OR SORE MOUTH. 

This is a very troublesome disease ; canker 
presents itself in many diseases, canker rash, 
sores, nursing ; sore mouth, &c. 

For this disease, use the canker powder, pre- 
pared thus : Take a piece of steel, heat it about 
cherry red, then hold on it a piece of roll brim- 
stone which will soon begin to melt, let it run 



72 THE SICK MAN^S FRIEND. 

oft' into a dish of cold water, take it out, let it 
dry, powder it fine, apply it by sprinkling on 
the parts affected. If the throat and stomach is 
cankered, place some in the mouth, and rinse it 
down with some tea or water . I have had many 
of my patients say that canker could not stay 
where this powder was. I use this powder in 
all cases of canker, nothing can be better. 



:o:- 



Summer Complaint, Dysentery or Diarrhea. 



Inasmuch as all of these complaints are so 
much alike, it is deemed unnecessary to make 
any distinctions between the different names, in- 
asmuch as one name will cure either or all of 
them. To be sure, there are many medicines 
which may be used that are good, but to give a 
long history of them would be useless, as there 
is one that never fails in either case. 

Cure. — Take choke cherries, fill a bottle near- 
ly full, then fill it with any kind of spirits, let it 
stand to get the strength of the cherries, to this 
extract add one half as much paregoric. Dose, 



THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND. 73 

one table spoonfull, after which a person is apt 
to be very thirsty, but it will not do to take any 
kind of drink whatever. Should there be move- 
ments of the bowels in half an hour, take one 
half spoonfull more, till it is completely checked; 
it seldom requires more than the first dose. In 
chronic cases do not take more than one tea 
spoonful at a time, repeat once in two or three 
hours, as it will not answer to check it at once, 
it may produce a fever. Where the cherries 
cannot be procured take bark, steep in water till 
quite strong, add paregoric as above. 



Involuntary Discharge of Urine, or Diabetes. 



This disease is well known by the large quan- 
tities of urine, and often involuntary discharges 
of it. Both old and young children that wet 
the bed several times in the course of the night 
may be very easily cured. A cure of this dis- 
ease may be expected by the following : Take 
two ounces red rose willow bark, two ounces of 
the inner bark of red beech, put into a bottle, 
add one quart of wine. Dose, one tablespoon- 



74 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

full three times a day. Where the patient is 
reduced very low, strengthen with the wine bit- 
ters. I have restored a great many with it. 



:o:- 



Whites, or Fluor Albus, (Leucorrhea.) 



We understand bj r this disease a discharge of 
mucous from the vagina, which consists of a 
thin white or yellow matter. 

To cure this the patient should take one tea 
spoonfull of the diuretic drops twice a day, 
and inject the following solution twice a day : 
Take a heaping teaspoonfull of saleratus, and 
dissolve in one pint of cold water ; also make a 
tea of hollyhock blows and rose blossoms, drink 
freely, but omit all strong tea and coffee. 



-:o: 



Retention of the Menses^ 



It is well known that females from the age of 
twelve to sixteen, (or, according to the climate,) 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 75 

begin to menstruate, and which constitutes a 
critical period in their Jives, as health depends 
very much upon this discharge. It is liable to 
be obstructed at the period when it ought to ap- 
pear ; the cause seems to be a want of power in 
the system to propel the blood into the uterine 
vessels, and allow a discharge of blood from 
them. First administer warm tea as hot as the 
patient can bear, such as life root, pennyroyal, 
or motherwort, bathe the feet in lye water, take 
also, a dose ot anti-bilious physic. In most all 
of these cases the patient is so debilitated it will 
be necessary to strengthen with the wine bitters. 
Dose, one table spoonfull three times a day. 
Young girls should be very careful of their 
health for one year till the periods are well es- 
tablished. 



-:o:- 



Cessation of the Menses. (Turn of Life.) 



That period at which the menses cease to flow 
is likewise very critical to the sex, yet it is a 
time long looked for, but awfully dreaded, and 



76 THE SICK MAft's FRIEND. 

thankfully received, when the high hand of na- 
ture condescends to lock up those conveying 
ducts, and child-bearing pains. In such cases 
there is but little medicine needed, more than 
to keep the bowels gently loose by taking one or 
two tea spoonsfull of white mustard seeds twice 
a day. Be careful not to over-exercise. 



-:o: 



Suppression of the Menses. (Amenorrhea.) 



In this disease there is a partial or total ob- 
struction of the menses in women from other 
causes than old age and pregnancy, such as de- 
bility, colds, and any interruption occurring af- 
ter the menses have once been established in 
their regular course. I will relate one circum- 
stance that took place in Livingston County, N* 
Y., some years ago, a young lady had received 
an invitation to attend a camp-meeting on the 
Sabbath, and wishing to dress in white, being 
unwell, on Saturday night she stepped into a 
pail of water and stood a few minutes, being a 
robust girl it made little or no impression, the 



77 

hext morning before the family was up she drew 
a tub of water from the well, stood and sat down 
in it, the sudden transition from a warm bed to 
a cold bath produced the desired effect. An old 
physician was for, he told me that she often 
spoke of the presumptuous act. In six weeks 
the grave closed over her remains. Females, 
look out. 



-:o:- 



CURE. 



As this disease sometimes proceeds from de- 
bility, take wine bitters to restore the system, 
then if there is not a return of the menses, take 
the female regulator pills, Take two ounces 
pine turpentine, half an ounce pulverized cop- 
peras and make into pills. Dose, two or three 
of the pills three times a day. These pills I 
have used in a number of cases, and have hot 
failed in one case to restore the periods. 



78 THE sick man's FKimti. 

JAUNDICE, 



This disease is occasioned by some derange- 
inent in the secretions of the liver,, obstructions 
in the tubes or pipes, or by the bile being so 
thick that it cannot flow freely into the intestine. 
In this case the bile cannot be appropriated to 
its natural use, is absorbed into the varcular sys- 
tem, and diffused through the mass of blood and 
humors, giving a yellow tinge to the urine, the 
skin, and white of the eye, the stools become 
white or ash colored, from the deficiency of bile 
to color them, and the bowels costive from a 
lack of their natural stimulus ; there is also a 
species of this disease called black jaundice. 

No medicines are more beneficial in jaundice 
than emetics, occasionally repeated, followed by 
gentle purges of rheubarb, cream tartar and 
soda, also the jaundice bitters, made thus : One 
ounce picra, one pint spirits, stand twenty-four 
hours, add half pint of molasses, shake to mix. 
Dose, from half to a full table spoonful ; best to 
take the bitters soon as up in the morning. 



the sick man's friend, tS 

WORMS. 



The presence of worms may be known by a 
gnawing sensation about the stomach, grinding 
of the teeth, red cheeks, white around the nose 
and mouth, offensive breath. It is supposed 
that a weak state of the digestive organs is that 
which leads to their production. There are dif- 
ferent kinds of worms, lor the treatment of which 
I have used pink and senna, cowhage, vermi- 
fuge, castor oil with spirits of turpentine, but 
for fifteen years past I have rejected them all ; 
since then I have, for the large round worm, used 
tansy buds or the leaves, witJi sage, make a 
strong tea, sweeten with molasses, worms like 
molasses. After taking this tea for a while give 
a dose of physic, it carries them off; for pin 
worms give the jaundice bitters, one teaspoonful 
as soon as up in the morning, for some time ; 
generally the third day they may be seen by 
close examination of the stools. With this I 
cured a young man about twenty years old, he 
told me he had not done any work for three 
years, but had doctored with three doctors all 
the time. The bitters brought away very large 



80 TfiE sick man's friend. 

quantities of pin worms, in a short time he re- 
gained his health. I wish for no better. 

Notice. — After using the jaundice bitters, do 
not eat a particle of food for an hour, let the 
worms have a chance to get the medicine. It 
has been said that spirits of turpentine has re- 
moved the tape worm, taken in table spoonful 
doses, mixed with milk and sweetened ; again 
take two pills of common brown soap the size of 
a pea, twice a day, has brought away the tape 
worm when all other means failed* 



AGUE IN THE BREAST. 



This arises from taking cold^ or other causes^ 
which obstructs the flow of milk, which causes 
great pains, swelling of the breasts of women. 
If not soon attended to will run into what is 
called a broken breast, which is one of the most 
painful things which a person can be afflict- 
ed with. When the breasts begin to swell, and 
there is any appearance of caking, take a piece 
of alum about the size of a large chestnut, burn 
it on the stove or shovel till it is crystalized* 



tHE SICK MAN ? S FRIEND. 81 

make it fine, then take the white of an egg, beat 
it all to a perfect froth, mix the burnt alumf, beat 
it well, put it on brown paper and apply it to 
the breast, it will soon effect a cure. 



-:o: 



CARBUNCLE. 



Is a very uncomfortable and unwelcome vis- 
itor, he first introduces himself by a small pim-^ 
pie, next by a deeply seated hard tumor, which 
grows to a very large size, and presents many 
small pimples which soon collect together into 
one or two, which will open and discharge a 
watery matter, looking like water with a little 
flour stirred in it. The shortest and best course 
is to apply the aromatic poultice, for which, 
take slippery elm bark, spikenard root, made 
fine, equal parts ; poppy leaves, stramonium 
leaves, cicuta leaves, a little, warm sweet milk, 
stir ; of this powder sufficient to make a pulp, 
apply warm, change as often as it becomes dry. 
Every time it is dressed wash with strong soap 
suds, the cure, occasionally take physic. If all 
these ingredients cannot be procured, get as 



82 THE 8T0K: MAN'S FRIEND. 

many as you can. I have been told by some 
who have had them, that it took from five to 
seven weeks to cure them, but I have just got 
over a very bad one on my neck and back part 
of my head, it took me eight days. 



-:o: 



PILES. 



For the blind piles take a table spoonful three 
times a day of tar water, gather a handful of 
planten leaves, mash them, have some one rub 
the whole length of the back for ten or fifteen 
minutes night and morning till cured. For the 
common piles use the pile salve and tar water ; 
for the salve take fine cut tobacco, put into an 
iron or tin vessel, cover it over, set it on the 
stove or over the fire until it is burned to ashes, 
mix the ashes with lard, anoint with this two or 
three times a day till cured. 



-:o:- 



WHITE SWELLING. 



This is another unwelcome visitor, especially 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 83 

to those it calls upon. It might be said to arise 
from bad blood, or something in the blood, be it 
as it may, it has taken thousands to an untimely 
grave, and yet it is what I have had a goodly 
number to administer for, and have not, as yet, 
lost one ; many have said it ought to be publish- 
ed, and I am now about to do so. The cure is 
this : Take one quart good cider vinegar, heat it 
nearly to boiling, then remove from the fire, 
add one ounce sugar of lead, let it dissolve in the 
vinegar. If the swelling is on the knee or elbow, 
bandage it tight six inches above and over the 
joint, when the solution is cool, not more than 
milk warm, if as warm as that, wet the bandage 
continually with this solution ; remove the band- 
age twice a day to tighten it, in the course of 
four days the swelling will be all reduced, and 
the limb come to its natural size. Out of the 
many cases 1 have had there is not one but 
could walk well in three or four days, although 
they were unable to take a step before. I hope 
this will go to all the world, for there has been 
enough suffering and death from this cause. 



84 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

CHILBLAIN. 



This is a painful inflamed swelling of the feet 
and toes, and may affect other parts. For this, 
make a liniment, olive oil one part, hartshorn 
two parts, tincture cayenne one part, camphor 
spirits one part, mix. Bathe frequently. I have 
used paregoric instead of cayenne. 



-:o:- 



VENEREAL DISEASE. 



Of all the most loathesome, degrading and 
blackest of diseases, this is altogether the worst 
that the human family could be cursed with, 
yet it appears that this disease may be traced 
to the camp of Israel, as may be inferred by 
reading the fifth chapter of Numbers. No 
doubt it was then inflicted upon mankind as a 
curse in wandering from moral rectitude, or the 
laws of God. This disease is at first called 
gonorrhea, this presents itself by a discharge of 
matter from the urethra, with heat of urine, &c, 
caused by impure coition, then there is a dis- 



the sick man's friend. 85 

charge of mucous matter called gleet, it begins 
with an itching in the glands, penis, and ting- 
ling along the course of the urethra, soon after 
there is some whitish matter at the end, also 
pain in making water ; this matter will increase 
shortly, and change its color to a greenish yel- 
low, the stream of urine will be quite small, 
and a great pain and scalding heat at every at- 
tempt to make water. When the penis curves 
downward it is called the chordee, the stimulus 
causes it to raise when warm in bed, which de- 
prives the patient of sleep, and in some cases 
an involuntary emission of semen. 

Chancre is known by little pimples, scabs and 
ulcers on the head of the penis, with itching, a 
small pimple full of matter, not much inflamma- 
tion or swelling, the itching is soon turned into 
pain, then into an ulcer ; when it comes on the 
head it is sometimes destroyed, or a hole is made 
in it by ulceration. The next is the bubo, it 
affects the groin, with a pain and small swelling. 
at length becomes as large as an egg S/ which 
makes some difficulty in walking, some throbbing 
in the tumor and redness of the skin, sometimes 
ft goes off without any formation of matter. 



86 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

From improper treatment, this poison is taken 
into the circulation, and the whole system is dis- 
eased, the head, mouth, tongue, tonsils, palate, 
eyes, throat and skin, all very much diseased, 
ulcers are formed, affording fetid matter, which 
is very loathesome. Painful swellings arise called 
nodes, which sometimes prove fatal. 

Females afflicted with this disease in time of 
pregnancy, vaccinates the child in the womb, 
which often destroys it before it is born, at other 
times these marks are seen afterwards, which 
are to be suffered during life. Oh ! what a curse 
to the sexes, and yet there are some who advo- 
cate the practice under the sanction of religion, 
even the highest holiness. Amen. 

For Gonorrhea, the first commencement, take 
hemp seed, pulverized, epsom salts, equal parts. 
Dose, one teaspoonful twice a day, diuretic 
drops, one teaspoonful twice a day. Drops. 
Take two ounces sweet spirits nitre, one ounce 
balsam fir, one-fourth ounce spirits turpentine, 
one-fourth ounce spirits camphor, shake. Dose, 
one teaspoonful twice a day. Take a piece of 
nitrate of silver as large as a kernel of wheat, 
add two ounces soft water, inject with a syringe 



TH]£ SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 87 

twice a day. For chancre, when scabs and ul- 
cers appear, take a stick of nitrate of silver, 
touch them with it sufficient to burn them well, 
if once is not enough apply it again, should 
there be swellings so as to make it difficult to 
dress it, apply the elm poultice to allay the in- 
flammation, this may take some little time, but 
the poultices should be continued until the swel- 
ling is down to give a chance to dress the ulcer. 
It will be necessary to give a purge occasionally. 
The ulcer may be dressed with the marrow of a 
hog's jaw bone, this is the best thing to extract 
the poison. For bubo, a liniment, made by 
taking half an ounce sweet oil, half ounce spirits 
camphor, one ounce aqua ammonia, one oz water, 
shake. Bathe the parts two or three times a 
day, this will cause smarting, but it soon redu- 
ces the swelling. For stricture, inject with a 
solution of borax and sweet milk. Should this 
make a discharge that continues too long, syringe 
with the nitrate of silver. Nodes, should these 
trouble you, make a solution of one quart of 
cider vinegar and one ounce of sugar of lead- 
apply cold. This is also good for neuralgia, and 
pain in the head, for the last I add laudanum. 



88 

A French recipe, said to cure the first in three 
days, is to take extract of hemp seed, spirits 
nitre, then inject with nitrate ot silver and mor- 
phine, then inject with borax and sweet milk, j 
have had a great deal of practice in those dis- 
eases. Two persons had the clap, doctored three 
years in the city oi New York, kept about so, 
got no better, called on me, in ten days cured 
both. A peddler called, said he doctored two 
or three years without deriving any benefit, I 
gave him medicine, he left. In nine days from 
that time I wais called to the hotel, the hired 
girl told me she could not walk across the room 
to save her life. Her pulse and countenance de- 
noted her case. Said I to her, I am in a hurry, 
own up the corn, you have been playing with 
the boys ; pretty hard, but it was the peddler. 
Well, you have owned up, I taxed him five dol- 
lars, now, you pay me three dollars and I will 
cure you so quick that it will make your head 
swim, you will not believe you ever had it. After 
two nights and one day she went to work, next 
day said she was well as ever. 



The sick Man's friend. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE, 



Every person knows that when the eye gets 
injured, it causes inflammation. Now for 
the treatment. Take some sticks of tag alder 
two or three inches through, and eighteen or 
twenty inches long, bore a hole in the middle, 
fill it with rock salt, plug it with the same kind 
of wood, make a fire at each end, burn to a coal, 
take out the salt, pulverize it, put one teaspoon- 
ful of the salt into an one ounce vial, add fifteen 
drops of laudanum or twenty-five drops paregor- 
ic, one ounce soft water. Apply to the eyes several 
times a day. Where the inflammation is very 
high, mix a Cup of it, wet a linen cloth and cover 
the eyes with it, keep them continually wet, it 
soon brings out the disease, be careful not to rub 
them, nor touch any other cloth to them but 
linen. 

:o: — 

Cumulation of the Eye Lids. 



This requires pretty nice and particular treat- 
ment ; the granulation is a thick red coating on 



90 THE SICK MAN'S Fl&IEND. 

the inside of the eye lids, this must be removed 
in order to effect a cure. The eye is a very ten- 
der organ and requires skill and carefulness. 
In the treatment of granulation on the eye lids 
it requires a person possessing steady nerves» 
Take two tumblers, one part full of soft water, 
turn the other bottom end up, scrape on it nitrate 
of silver a pile about the size of a kernel of rye 9 
then take a camel hair pencil, wet it, then drop 
on a teaspoonful of ivater, have some old cloth 
around the patient's neck and bosom to keep the 
medicine from the clothes, then turn the lids 
over, wet the pencil brush in the solution, draw 
it across the lid, put in two or three times, then 
turn the other and do the same. It will smarts 
but it must be borne with for a few minutes, 
then sweeten half a tumbler of water middling 
sweet with loaf sugar, let the patient lay on his 
back, with a spoon feed in the sweetened watery 
this is called washing the eyes, and is to be done 
twice a day for a few days, then once a day till 
cured; if any inflammation is present, use th^ 
water as above. 



?Me sick Man's fkiknd. 91 

STRENGTHENING EYE-WASH. 



Weak eyes require to be strengthened, to do 
this, take the white of an egg, four grains sugar 
ot lead, four grains white vitriol, fifteen drops 
laudanum, beat into a perfect froth ; apply this 
by rubbing on the edges of the eye lids three or 
four times a day. 



COMMON WEAK EYES, 



Take one ounce cold tea, add three grains ni- 
trate silver, apply a little night and morning. 
In all cases of the eye> keep the stomach and 
bowels well cleansed. 



-:o:- 



FILM ON THE EYE, 



Film is a whitish mass or substance congealed 
to the eyeball, generally to the inside corner, 
that is, towards the nose, it spreads along to the 
pupil of the eye, it soon begins to obstruct the 
sight when left to grow it soon covers the pu- 



92 the sick man's Jrfcteirb. 

pil 5 then blindness is the consequence. film 
can be cured by taking a piece of unslacked 
lime the size of a hen's egg, ptit into one pint 
of soft water, let it stand six hours, pour off and 
add four grains corrosive sublimate ; apply t<3 
the film with a camel hair pencil, then in fifteen 
minutes apply lunar caustic, once a day, is re. 
commended in granulation, till cured. Much 
caution should be used in those diseases as re- 
gards food and drinks. A cooling vegetable diet 
helps in the cure of all diseases. I would here 
pen a few cases which have been treated by me. 
First, my daughter, twelve years of age, took 
cold > which caused inflammation and granulation 
in both eyes, I treated her until my skill was ex- 
hausted, had others, and all the eye-waters and 
salves I could hear of, but to no effect. I heard 
of Dr. Donaldson curing Hector McLean, after 
he had been to Albany, New York City, Boston, 
and had expended eight hundred dollars, given 
up by all of them. I immediately layed by till* 
I heard the above, then I cured my daughter in 
fifteen days. Atwood, in Vermont, after being 
treated six years by the faculty of one hundred 
physicians, I cured in three weeks; when I conv 



THE SICK MAN'S FKIEND. 93 

tnenced he was stone blind, but got good eyes 
again. A Mrs. Baker of New Hudson, N, Y., 
after five years treatment at several places of 
curing, called on me, in three weeks was cured* 
One of my neighbors where I now reside, after 
six weeks trial by a physician, had become per- 
fectly blind, called on me, I saw his case to be 
granulation, and cured him in ten days so that 
he was able to attend to his work ; again, the 
woman spoken of above had a film on one eye, 
and both granulated, and blind as she could be. 
These are only a few, I might fill volumes if I 
had room, for further proof. Follow the above 
and yoa will be convinced that this is all true. 
One more, when dirt, sand, flies, coal, or any 
kind of substances get in the eyes, let the person 
lay on his back, pour in water sweetened with 
loaf sugar, you can drown it out with this. 

:o: 

Suppression and Retention of Urine, 

When a person is troubled with passing water, 
take strong tea of spearmint, and spirits of nitre, 
of each four ounces, mix. Dose, two teaspoon- 
fills every hour or two ; take the diuretic drops 



94 fHE SICK MAK 5 8 FRIEftb. 

twice a day, this generally relieves. Queen of 
the meadow root in tea with pumpkin seeds is 
good ; take a gill of red onion juice at night 5 
gravel weed tea is good ; a tea of wild carrot 
has carried off gravel and affected a cure. 



-:o: 



FELON, OR WHITLOW. 



These both commence with pricking, throbbing 
and inflammation. The quickest way to dis- 
perse them is a painful way. Take a piece of 
unslaked lime the size of a large pea, put into 
a top thimble, drop on enough water to slake 
the lime, turn it over the place where the pain 
is, put a piece of sole leather on the thimble to 
to press it on for a while, it almost always cures. 
I have made a poultice of lime and soft soap, 
bind on for one hour then take it off, if there is 
not any matter comes apply another, and so on 
till there is some. I have used still another, 
take a kettle with ashes and water, set it over 
the fire, put the hand into it, let it heat with the 
hand in it as long as it can be borne. I have 
known all these to cure time after time. 



THE SICK MAN'S FBIEND. 95 

SALT RHEUM, 



This is a troublesome eruption appearing on 
the hands or feet, as a general thing it is caused 
like many eruptive diseases, from impurity of 
the blood and system. To effect a sure cure, 
take the blood bitters, they will throw the humor 
to the surface, then apply my cancer wash, best 
to commence both together. With these I have 
cured a great many. It should be remembered 
that the stomach and bowels must be cleansed 
in this and all other eruptive complaints. 



ENLARGEMENT OF THE TONSILS, 



This has happened to some small children, 
and has been thought to be phthisic, on examin- 
ing found the tonsils badly swollen. If the child 
can take water, gargle in the mouth, make a 
strong decoction of cranes-bill and alum, let the 
patient gargle this several times a day, make a 
liniment of s - eet oil half an ounce, hartshorn 
one ounce, camphor spirits half an ounce, bathe 
the throat several times a day. With these I 
have cured a great many. The enlargement of 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 



the tonsils has often been taken for the croup, to 
my knowledge. It appears to be natural for 
some children to be troubled with this difficulty. 



-:o: 



CORNS OR WARTS, 



Corns need no description, every one knows 
they are troublesome, and caused by wearing 
shoes that are too tight or small. To cure, pare 
or scrape them, but not so as to make them bleed, 
then use the cancer wash a few times, that will 
cure them. For warts wet them frequently with 
the cancer wash till cured. I have cured cancer 
warts with it. 



-:o: 



RINGWORMS. 



This disease shows itself in small red pimples 
in a circular form. When the body is heated 
by exercise these will itch very bad. The best 
remedy for these is to bathe often with the can- 
cer wash, that will cure in two or three days, 
every time. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 97 

ITCH. 



The itch arises from small insects which are 
first produced by uncleanliness, and spreads by 
contagion. These insects insinuate themselves 
under the skin and produce small festers ; that 
is the old fashioned itch. There is another I 
have called the counterfeit itch, the more sulpher 
and brimstone you use the worse it is. 

Army itch is another, barber's itch is another. 
For the two first, take one pound fresh butter, 
half pound resin, melt together, when partly 
cool add half an ounce red precipitate, half an 
ounce spirits turpentine. Anoint twice a day. 
Take sulphur and cream tartar mixed with mo- 
lasses night and morning. For army itch and 
lice, take anaguintum and verdigris, one-sixth 
part as much, mix together, then turn your 
drawers and under shirt, spread this ointment on 
the seams and hems of them both, turn and put 
them on quick, cures army itch and lice. 

Barber's itch, wet often with the eAncer wash, 
you will find it made thus: two ounces white 
vitriol, one ounce copperas, one ounce gun pow- 
der, one ounce blue vitriol, one ounce saltpetre, 



half an ounce sugar of lead, one pint soft water, 
put all together, keep corked tight or it will lose 
its strength. Wet the face often with the wash. 

:o: 

BURNS AND SCALDS. 



For burns, if there is inflammation, apply the 
elm poultice, when the inflammation is out, ap- 
ply dog oil till cured. For scalds, take cream 
or milk and wheat flour, mix to the thickness of 
a griddle cake or batter, spread on a cloth suffi- 
cient to cover the scalded parts. If this can be 
got on before it blisters, it will not blister at all. 
Soon as this is put on make another, when the 
first has been on five minutes have the second 
ready to put on as soon as the first is off, so as 
not to have the air strike it any more than pos- 
sible, change in five or six minutes; four of five 
of these are generally sufficient to effect a 
cure. If it blister before the flour poultice is 
applied, use it to draw the fire out, nothing is 
better. I have used this for a great many. 

:o: 

DEAFNESS. 



Take oil sassafras five or six drops, oil of al- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 99 

monds half an ounce, mix. Drop two drops in 
the ear two or three times a day. This is a 
pretty sure cure. Sometimes it will restore the 
hearing to stand near a cannon when firing. 

— — ^:o: 

CANCER. 



Cancers usually begin with a small swelling 
in the gland, or if it be seated in some other 
part, as the face, hand, etc,, with a small swell- 
ing resembling a wart or pimple, and no pain' 
it generally increases in size and hardness, soon 
there is a twinging sensation as though there 
was a horse hair, that feels very uncomfortable, 
so much so that the person can hardly keep his 
fingers from trying to pick it off. Cancers seat 
themselves in or on different parts, some on the 
face, hand, back, leg, foot, side, and some on 
the female breast and uterus. There is a num- 
ber of different kinds of cancers, such as the 
rose, wart, spider, eating, blue, and the fungus 
hsematode, which is a species of cancer, and the 
worst of all cancers yet named, allowing me to 
be the judge. I have had all of those to deal 
with for twenty-five years past, and have cured 



100 THE HCK MAN'S FBIEM). 

all kinds without any difficulty, and do not deem 
it necessary to spread the whole universe over 
with all the descriptions, causes, effects and pre- 
scriptions of what is very good in cancer cases, 
therefore I will come to the point. As cancers 
first come from a cancerous humor which is in 
the blood, we will commence by cleansing the 
blood by giving my blood bitters. Take one 
ounce of Virginia snake root, half ounce prickly 
ash bark, half an ounce of mustard seed in the 
kernel, put together, add one quart of any kind 
of spirits. Dose, two or three table spoonfuls, 
or as much as the patient can bear, three times 
a day. At the same time you commence with 
the bitters, apply the wash; if you can keep the 
cancer so that it will not gain for a few days you 
will do pretty well, for the bitters will soon 
bring it to the surface, if it lias not taken its seat 
some where upon the inner parts. To make the 
cancer wash, take two ounces white vitriol, called 
sulphate of zinc, one ounce each, copperas, gun- 
powder, blue vitriol, saltpetre, half an ounce of 
sugar of lead, put all into a bottle, add one pint 
of soft water, cork tight, as it will lose its strength 
soon by being open to the air ; wet the cancer 



THE &ICK MAN'S FRIEND. lOl 

often with this wash, shake it to mix. This will 
soon form a thick black scab ; continue the ap- 
plication of the wash, the scab will come off 
itself; apply again to form another. You will 
see every time the scab comes off that the eari- 
cer is smaller ; continue till it is all gone, and 
two or three weeks afW ; there are so many 
fibrous roots, the wash will find the last ends of 
those fibres, no danger of any more cancers 
from them. It will be^ necessary to keep the 
stomach and bowels well cleansed. The diet— 
you must not take anything of a greasy, oily or 
salty nature, a cooling vegetable diet is the best, 
ardent spirits, coffee and tea are hurtful in this 
complaint. I would relate several cases of cures ; 
but it would be taking too much time, neverthe- 
less I will, as I have not written on the fungus 
bsematode, give you- the history and cure of it* 
and never heard of one coming out again. 

Mrs. Culver, a lady some thirty-five years of 
age, living in Elmira, after fourth and last child 
was born, was afflicted with what her doctors 
called a milk leg. They gave her, as she told 
me, morphene till it became a second nature, 
and would have no effect, then opium. All the 



102 THE SICK MAN 5 S FRtEfttf. 

doctors in Elmira had a trial at this for eleven 
years. Her daughter lived one mile from me, 
she wrote to her mother, and she came ; I was 
called, and on viewing it, measured across the 
toes six and one-halt inches, five inches down 
through the foot, toes about one-fourth of an 
inch long. The disease had all settled in the 
foot. She asked me what I called it, my doctors 
called it a milk leg, I answered, a fungus hsem- 
atode. It was covered with a thick dark scab, 
cracks through the scab, a dark greenish fetid 
matter oozing out, with an awful bad smell. I 
commenced cleansing the blood with the blood 
bitters, applied the aromatic poultice, soon after, 
the cancer wash. Alter some time I gave syrup 
of tag alder, tags, not trom the boughs, but from 
tags that grew under the roots, look like yellow- 
ish seeds ; one pint of those, three pints water 
simmered to three half pints, added a little spir- 
its and loaf sugar to make one quart. Dose, one 
table spoonful twice a day. I had to break her 
of the opium habit before I could make much 
headway, that was done w T ith three ounces of my 
anodyne drops. In about one year the foot be- 
come a mate to the other, and well. She wore 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 103 

shoes size 2J or 3's, and at last walked np and 
back that mile several times, and returned back 
to Elmira well and hearty. 



:o:- 



PSOAS, AND LUMBAR ABSCESSES. 



By these terms are understood chronic collec- 
tioas of matter which torm the cellular substance 
of the loins. The matter is formed slowly and 
imperceptibly, and occasions at first no manifest 
swelling. When the matter has collected, it 
spreads until it reaches the origin of the psoas 
muscle, which passes into ulceration and forms 
a bag, surrounded by a complete ring. My 
course of treatment in these is, first apply the 
aromatic poultice, take slippery elm, spikenard^ 
cicuta, a little, belladonna, a little, stramoninm 
leaves, a little, poppy leaves, a little ; make a 
poultice with warm sweet milk, change twice a 
day, no rubbing, pinching or squeezing the tumor 
at all. If no matter has started, this poultice 
will cure without suppuration, but if it has be- 
gun to collect, it will hasten its suppuration and 
open itself. Keep this poultice on until it is all 



104 THE SlCk MAN'S frRlfiftb. 

out arid healed. In case the patient is reduced 
low, brace up with the wine bitters. 



Hydrophobia, or Canine Madness. 

The bite of a mad dog produces a disease 
termed hydrophobia, signifying a fear or dread 
of water, which is one of its most peculiar and 
characteristic symptoms. When first bitten 
bathe well with salt and vinegar, then with 
a strong tincture of lobelia, then bind the mar- 
row of a hog's jaw bone, then make a cake of 
the white of one or two &ggs and oyster shell 
lime. This lime is made by burning oyster 
shells. Put lime enough to the egg to form a 
suitable dough, fry it in fresh butter, let the 
patient eat one a day for som& time* This cake 
is the only medicine used in Canada, where 
there is a great deal of canine madness* It is 
said never to fail* 



:o: - — 



DIPTHERIA, 



This disease is somewhat new iti these paits* 



THE SICK MAN 1 S FRIEND. 105 

About ten or twelve years ago it made its first 
appearance here, and made great slaughter with 
the people in these parts. It commences with 
a dull, heavy sleep, weakness, soon pain across 
the shoulders, headache, the throat, tonsils, pal- 
ate and the roots of the tongue all become swol- 
len and painful, a whitish smooth coat covers 
them in a short time, which gains to a consider- 
able thickness. Sometimes the patient is so 
weak that he cannot stand or set up. The treat 
ment for this disease is as follows i make a bag 
as large as your arm, long enough to reach 
around the neck, fill it with bitter herbs, then 
put in a pan, pour on hot water to heat it, then 
sprinkle a handful of fine salt, squeeze and ap- 
ply it around the neck, heat it over in fifteen 
minutes, this must be repeated till well. Make 
a gargle of vinegar, if strong add some water, 
for a teacup of it add one heaping tea spoonful 
salt, two tea spoonfuls tincture cayenne pepper, 
or two-thirds of a tea spoonful of the dry pow- 
der of cayenne, sweeten with honey or molasses 5 
gargle the throat every fifteen minutes, swallow 
a little each time, bathe the head in camphor as 
warm as the patient can bear. This bathing 



106 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

must be kept up as long as the above, next ad- 
minister half a wine glass or more of gin or 
whisky, with a teaspoonful of the tincture of 
cayenne every half hour. All these medicines 
must be continued till the patient feels free 
from the complaint, then give a dose of anti- 
bilious physic. It usually takes me about six 
hours to effect a cure, while others will doctor 
some six days, and lose the patient in the end. 

I had a young lady at my house a few weeks 
to be doctored. She got well, and was going 
home on Monday, I was taken sick with the 
diptheria on Sunday afternoon, my wife could 
not get around very well, the lady went into the 
office and got all the medicines and administer- 
ed the above treatment. In six hours I told her 
I was well and she might retire. I saw her in 
six weeks, she said, in just two weeks she was 
taken as I was, and they had all the medicines 
in the house, took the same treatment, and in 
six hours was well. Reader, it you wish further 
evidence^ try the above and you ^will be con* 
vinced. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 107 

FEVER SORE. 



Fever sores generally come on the foot or leg, 
caused by bruises in common, then taking cold, 
and fever setting in, makes a fever sore, attend- 
ed with much pain. If not cured soon it produ- 
ces a deep sore, some have lost the whole bone 
of the leg with it, and have been made cripples 
for life. At first, before there is much of a sore, 
take half a table spoonful each of erocusmartus 
and white vitriol, one quart soft water, bandage 
the limb, keep it wet with it, this generally 
cures ; but when there is a deep sore use the 
salve found in the formula, which is : Take one 
tea cupful of tar, two quarts of water, boil both 
together till the water is boiled out, then take it 
out, mix one table spoonful red lead and one of 
goose oil or hen's oil, work it well together, use 
as a plaster. It should be changed as soon as it 
gets dry. Soon cures. 



~:o:- 



INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATISM. 



This disease usually makes .its attack at the 
lower or upper extremities. When at the feet 



108 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

or legs it soon works up by degrees to the head, 
and sometimes goes off there, but when it does 
leave at the head it soon returns. When it leaves 
at the feet it will be some time before it returns. 
Frequently the patient loses all power to move 
the first joint, but will want some one to move 
their feet or head ; the least stir will make them 
yell awfully. I have attended a great many 
such patients. At the first appearance of this 
disease, bathe the parts affected with the rheu- 
matic liniment. Take oil of hemlock one ounce, 
oil red cedar half an ounce, spirits camphor half 
an ounce. This usually stops further progress, 
but where it progresses ft) stiffness, swelling and 
pain, with fever, the patient should be sweated 
with hemlock boughs as follows : Take a quan- 
tity of hemlock twigs, put thena into a pan then 
pour on boiling water, the patient should be 
stripped for bed, set on a chair, cover three 
bed quilts around the neck, coming to the floor, 
put the pan of boughs under the chair. If the 
patient does does not soon begin to sweat, put in 
heated bricks or stones, when sweat gets started, 
give an emetic of lobelia and blood root, let the 
patient sweat and vomit together. When this is 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 109 

done give the anti-bilious cathartic powders, 
get into bed, cover up warm. With this treat- 
ment 1 have cured a great many poor sufferers. 



-:o:- 



CHRONIC RHEUMATISM. 



The chronic differs from the above, not being 
much inflammation or fever, the pain mostly 
confined to some particular part, generally some 
joint. The medicines for the chronic rheuma- 
tism are, black cohush root and brandy, in doses 
ot one table spoonful, two or three times a day. 
My remedy is some roots of wandering milk 
weed, some call it mountain milk weed, put into 
one pint of gin or whisky. Dose, a small table 
spoonful three times a day ; take physic occa- 
sionally. Out of a great many cases I have not 
had one failure with the last medicine. 



-:o:- 



MERCURIAL RHEUMATISM. 



Mercurial, is similar to chronic, is more pain- 
ful and more difficult to cure. It is caused by 
mercury being used in some form or other ; per 



110 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

sons having used mercury and taken cold, gets 
settled in the system, and bones becomes a per- 
fect barometer, and can tell the approach of 
storms, this is balled sciatic rheumatics ; when 
it is blended with the inflammatory rheumatics, 
Dr. Barney calls it the devil's disease. I think it 
appears so to the patient too, by its being ac- 
companied with so much pain. It usually seats 
itself at the hip or knee, usually occupies both. 
My course is the hemlock sweat, emetic, cathar- 
tic, administered as in inflammatory rheumatics ; 
the rheumatic liniment sparingly nsed, a level 
tea spoonful of sulpher taken every morning ior 
a week, then miss a week, and so on for a few 
weeks. The patient should be strengthened with 
the wine bitters, or instead of wine, take one 
pint of brandy, add one pint of cold water, or 
whichever will agree with the patient best, ac- 
cording to the constitution or habits of the pa- 
tient. 

:o: 

MEASLES. 



Measles usually appear with some fever, cough, 
and sneezing, a discharge of watery matter from 
the eyes and nose, and a determination of acrid 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. Ill 

matter to the surface, showing itself in little red 
spots on the face and stomach, then over the 
body. It usually goes off in about four days, If 
the pimples do not appear in a few hours, they 
should be assisted by some warming teas, such 
as Virginia snake root, life root, saffron, or 
mountain mint, and got into a sweat ; this will 
bring out the measles, and with some of those 
teas they must be kept out upon the surface. 
Cleanse the stomach and bowels, keep the bowels 
gently loose. The black measles are to be treat- 
ed the same. 

:o: 

Dropsy of the Abdomen, or Belly. 



By this disease we understand a collection of 
water in the abdomen. Dropsy may be caused 
by a great quantity of water in the blood, which 
may be occasioned by a penurious diet, profuse 
hemorrhage and repeated bleeding, weakened 
powers of digestion, interruption of the watery 
excretions, jaundice, &c. 

Cure, I have had good success with wahoo 
bark, dwarf alder roots and princess pine leaves 
and roots, of each a handful, make a tea and 



112 THE SICK MAN'S FRlENr. 

drink. This is also the best in a relapse of 
scarlet fever. Spearmint tea, strong, add spirits 
of nitre one-fourth ; take a table spoonful two 
or three times a day, also the diuretic drops, 
one teaspoonful twice a day. If the belly is 
badly swollen, rub with sweet oil and camphor 
spirits mixed ; once a day tincture of fox glove, 
or the leaves in tea. 



-:o:- 



HEADACHE. 



Pain in the head proceeds from various causes, 
and is generally the symptoms of some other 
disease. Indigestion, foul stomach, an exposure 
of the head to the hot sun, a rush of blood to 
the head, and strong tea are the most common 
causes. In treating the headache, first ascertain 
the cause of it, if from the stomach, give a pur- 
gative, bathe the feet in warm water and lye or 
ashes, bathe the head with camphor, or one tea 
spoon level full of sugar of lead, add to it half 
pint vinegar. To prevent the headache, wash 
the head with cold water as soon as up in the 
morning, keep out* of the cold air at nights, 
leave otf the use of strong tea aud coffee, and 



THE SICK MAN^S FRIEND. 113 

keep the stomach and bowels frequently well 
cleansed, 

The doses mentioned in this book are generally 
intended for adults. Children fourteen years 
may take two-thirds of a dose ; of seven, one- 
half; of five, one-third; of three, one-fourth; 
of one, one eighth ; of six months, one twelfth • 
two months, one-fifteenth. 

TO MEASURE INSTEAD OF WEIGHING. 

A drachm of any substance that is near the 
weight of water will fill a common teaspoon 
level full, four tea spoonfuls make a table spoon, 
fill, or half an ounce, two table spoonfuls an 
ounce, and so on. On the same principle, one- 
third of a tea spoonful will be one scruple, or 
twenty grains in weight. 

As a general rule, the above table of doses 
v ill be quite sufficient, but much must always 
be left to the judgment of the prescriber, who 
alone can judge of the constitution and state of 
the case* 

Inflammation of the Womb. 



This disease is characterized by fever, heat. 



114 THE SICK MAN^ FRIKNH. 

tension, tumor, pain in the region of the wumb, 
and vomiting. Besides the common causes pro 
ductive of inflammation, this disease sometimes 
takes place after delivery, particularly where the 
labor has been long protracted, intruments have 
been used, or the lochial discharge, which ought 
to have taken place, has been suddenly stopped 
by an exposure to cold. It is accompanied by 
pains in the lower regions of the belly, which 
are greatly aggravated upon pressure with the 
hand, as also by tension or tightness of the sur- 
rounding parts, considerable depression of 
strength, a change of countenance, increased 
heat of the whole body, great thirst, nausea, the 
bowels confined, the urine high colored and 
scanty, the secretion of milk somewhat inter- 
rupted, and the lochial discharge much diminish- 
ed, if not wholly suppressed. 

TREATMENT. 

Perspiration ought to be promoted as soon as 
possible. Give the sweating powders, bathe 
the feet, apply the fomentation bag of bitter 
herbs to the belly, heat and change often ; should 
there be great irritation and pais, give two tea- 
spoonfuls of the anodyne carminative drops, a 



THE SICK MAN'S FKIEND. 115 

light cathartic may be given occasionally to keep 
the bowels gently loose, and the tincture of 
spearmint, made by bruising the green herb and 
adding spirits to make a strong decoction, and 
to one pint add one gill of spirits of nitre. Give 
freely with these remedies. I have been able to 
cure a goodly number. After relief is obtained 
make the following solution : Take a large tea 
spoonful of saleratus, a little sugar of lead, add 
one pint of water; inject with a female syringe 
twice a day. This solution is excellent also for 
whites, and all kinds of female weaknesses. 



-:o:- 



Onanism, or Self Pollution, 



This practice causes along train of complaints, 
tremors of the limbs, headache, restless nights? 
gleets or discharges from the urethra, pains in 
the system in different parts, the memory, judg- 
ment and reason become impaired, discharge of 
semen, particularly at the thought or sight of 
women, pain in the breast and loins, cough and 
consumption, weakness in the back and genitals, 
sometimes fits of apoplexy, hypochondria and 



116 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

hysteria, and great dispondency of mind. By 
this pernicious practice is meant the emission of 
semen artificially, and which prevails among 
both sexes to a most fearful extent. Understand 
that the emitting of semen artificially by the 
too common practice of onanism, lays the foun- 
dation for many incurable complaints, and causes 
more bad health than even physicians are aware 
of. It has been shown by reports of lunatic 
asylums, that it often causes insanity in both 
sexes. 

TREATMENT. 

The first step, the patient must abandon the 
practice immediately. Second, if residing in a 
city or village, repair to the country and shun 
the company of the opposite sex as much as 
possible. Third, if there are involuntary emis- 
sions of semen, let the patient take the Dover or 
sweating powder at bed time. Fifth, the patient 
must take the urine bitters. Sixth, the patient 
should use a cooling nutritious diet, and abstain 
from all spirituaus liquors and the use of tobacco. 
With the above treatment I have cured a great 
many, some of whom were so far reduced that 
they were not able to walk. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 117 

ERYSIPELAS, 



This disease is an inflammation of the skin, 
commencing generally with fever, drowsiness, 
and often delirium. It more frequently appears 
on the face, legs and feet, than anywhere else, 
when seated externally and in warm climates, it 
is a more frequent form of inflammation than 
that which terminates in suppuration. Although 
this disease sometimes attacks infants, and occa- 
sionally youths, yet it seldom occurs before the 
person has arrived at mature age, and is most 
usually met with in advanced life, more often 
amongst women than men, particularly those ot 
a sanguine, irritable habit or temperament. In 
some people there exists a pre- disposition to the 
disease,sometimes returning periodically, making 
its attacks once or twice a year, and in some in- 
stances much oftener, producing great exhaus- 
tion and debility. This disease appears to be 
most dangerous when it attacks the face, in this 
case it comes on with chilliness, succeeded by 
fever, thirst, restlessness, with drowsiness, or 
tendency to delirium, and the pulse is frequent 
and full. After two or three days, a fiery red- 



118 THE SICK MAN'S FKIEND. 

ness shows itself on some part of the face, which 
at length extends to the head, and gradually 
down the neck, leaving every part which the 
redness has occupied a little swollen. In the 
course of the disease the disposition to sleepiness 
and delirium occasionally increase, and the pa- 
tient is sometimes destroyed between the seventh 
and eleventh days of the complaint. 

TKEATMENT. 

As this disease often goes off spontaneously 
by a sweat, we should give a sweat and an 
emetic in the first stage of the complaint, then 
make a strong tea of sweet alder blossoms, let 
the patient drink freely of it, and wash or bathe 
all the affected parts often with the tea. This 
tea drank and used for bathing is all that is re- 
quired to effect a cure, unless mortification 
should appear, if it does, the measures should 
be pursued, for which see under the proper head. 
:o: 

URGICAL OPERATION. 



While small children are playing in and 
around the house, they will pick up every little 
hard substance, such as a bean, a kernel of corn, 



THE SICK MAN J S FRIEND. 119 

small buttons, pebble stones, and such like. It 
is often crowded into the nose, nearly out of 
sight, then it is away with the child to the doc- 
tor to have its little nose scratched and cut, 
besides a loss of blood. Every person has with 
them all the instruments necessary for this opera- 
tion. I have performed a great many operations 
by placing the child on its back, the finger on 
the opposite nostril, then my mouth to the mouth 
of the child, and blow hard. This will throw 
the substance across the room without hurt. 

:o: 

Cure for Dysentery, &c. 



For summer, bowel, dysentery and cholera 
morbus, fill a bottle nearly full with choke cher- 
ries, then add as much whisky as the bottle will 
contain. In a few days it will be fit for use. 
take three table spoonfuls of this, and one spoon 
full of paregoric, mix. Dose, one table spoonful. 
If the bowels move in thirty minutes, give half 
a dose, and so on until it is stopped. The pa- 
tient must not drink any water after taking the 
medicine, if he does, tbis nor any other medi- 
cine can cure. In all these complaints persons 



120 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

are very thirsty, and call for cold water, as long 
as water is drank, so long will the disease run. 
It is not always that the choke cherries can be 
procured, if not, use the bark by steeping it in 
water to make a strong tea, but add the paregor- 
ic. This has been my remedy for more than 
twenty years, and in several hundreds of cases, 
without one failure as yet. It is both safe and 
sure. 



:o:- 



LOCK JAW. 



In lock jaw the muscles of the lower jaw be- 
come contracted and hard, at length the patient 
cannot open the mouth at all, a difficulty of 
swallowing succeeds, resembling hydrophobia, 
the muscles of the neck, and indeed, of the 
whole body, become successively affected with 
violent spasms. The symptoms are sometimes 
rapid, at others slow in their progress. If the 
patient survives the fourth day there is a chance 
for his recovery. The symptoms never recede 
but by slow degrees. The confidence I have in 
the botanic remedies, satisfies me that cases of 



121 

locked jaw would scarcely ever occur, if such 
injuries as produce this complaint were properly 
treated by them. 

TREATMENT. 

If the muscles become stiff and contracted, 
the patient must be thoroughly sweated, at the 
same time let him drink freely of warming teas, 
then administer the^hot tincture, made thus : One 
ounce of the seeds of lobelia, made fine, two 
ounces cayenne pepper, and half a pint of hot 
drops. This should be kept bottled for use, to 
be shaken when used. This will go through the 
system at once. By pouring a little into the 
mouth between the teeth and cheek, when the 
jaws are set, it will relax the spasms as soon as 
it touches the glands at the roots of the tongue, 
and the jaws will at once become loosened, then 
give a dose of it as soon as the spasms have 
abated, and drink freely of penny royal tea. It 
is said to be a cure for the bite of a mad dog; it 
should be taken in doses of one tea spoonful at 
a time, and continued for some time. This has 
cured several cases where madness has already 
commenced. 



122 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 



DIRECTIONS 

FOR THE GATHERING, SELECTION AND PRESERVATION OF 

VEGETABLE MEDICINES, 



They should be gathered in proper season. 
A judicious selection and careful preservation 
of them are matters of the utmost importance. 
When we reflect upon the sufferings of the sick 5 
their anxiety, as well as the sympathy of their 
friends, and the necessity, in many instances, of 
promptly administering the best remedies in or- 
der to save life, we shall be better able to appre- 
ciate the high importance of carefully selecting, 
preparing and preserving the various articles of 
medicine. Brother Botanic, how much more 
natural it is to look to the field and the forest 
for plants, than to dig in the bowels of the earth 
and procure certain metals, which prove poison- 
ous and destructive, even in obtaining them, and 
much more so after having been subjected to a 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 123 

chemical process. Yes, it is more natural, as it 
was the only practice for fourteen hundred years 
before the days of Socrates, the first discoverer 
of minerals ; but still the savage and the brute 
are taught by reason and instinct to use those 
vegetables which are scattered so richly around 
them, to relieve their diseases. Those who have 
traveled among the natives of all countries, 
testify to these facts. The Indians of North 
America know how to treat their complaints, 
both in physic, surgery and midwifery. I can- 
not close these remarks without expressing my 
thanks to them for their kindness, and the in- 
structions received from them. Brother, the way 
to acquire knowledge from an Indian is to be a 
good Indian with him. It is from the extreme 
and criminal carelessness or negligence in the 
curing of medicine, that disappointments as to 
their efficacy arise, and by which means also, 
many valuable articles have fallen into disrepute. 
Great care ought to be taken to reject or separ- 
ate everything from the medical article which 
does not belong to it, as poisonous substances 
are sometimes gathered along with medicines. 
The time to collect roots is in the spring, be- 



124 THE SICK MAN 5 8 FRIEND. 

fore the sap begins to rise, or in the fall after 
the top is dead. They must be trimmed, washed, 
and dried in the shade. The large roots may be 
split lengthwise. Such as skunk-cabbage, wild 
turnip, sliced, dried and pulverized, and bottled 
for use, and kept free from air. Barks may be 
stripped from the tree or shrub any time when 
the sap prevents it from adhering to the wood ; 
the outside must be shaved off, then the bark 
must be cut thin and dried in the shade. Medi- 
cal herbs should be collected while in blossom, 
and dried in the shade. Some may be let stand 
until it is near time for frost. 

Flowers and seeds should be collected when 
they ■ are fully ripe, and likewise dried in the 
shade, should be kept from the air, and preserved 
air tight, or in a dry place. In this way they 
may be preserved many years without losing 
any of their medicinal properties. 

For infusions or teas, take a handful of herbs, 
put into some convenient vessel, add one pint of 
boiling water, let it stand fifteen or twenty min- 
utes, take a full drink three or four times a day, 
unless differently prescribed. 



THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND* 125 

DISPENSATORY OF AMERICAN BOTANICAL 
REMEDIES, 



It is not to be doubted that every country con- 
tains the best remedies for its own diseases. 
North America, for its botanical remedial agents 
is, perhaps, excelled by no other land, as an old 
practitioner remarks, instead of sending our 
ships to foreign climes after costly unnatural 
medicines, why is it that we do not open our 
eyes on the vegetable kingdom around us, and 
accept at our own doors, without money and 
without price, those natural remedies which the 
God of nature has planted for us, as being more 
congenial to our constitutions. What, then, in 
the name of common sense, is the use of import- 
ing from a foreign nation, as we have those at 
our own doors, which are better adapted to our 
climate, than those brought from some different 
climate ; besides that it requires so much time 
to procure, transport, and sell them, and deal to 
the sick, they have become inert, and good for 
nothing. Why, we will once more ask, continue 
in the use of these inhospitable medicines which 



126 the sick man's friend. 

have so often given melancholy proofs of their 
destructive character by scattering disease, dis- 
may and death, amongst the most enlightened 
portions of the human race, when, at the same 
time, they grow not only upon some height, or 
along the margin of some stream, but indiscrim- 
inately over mountain, hill and dale, the choicest 
remedies for all the maladies of man. In the 
following the reader will find briefly described 
the most important plants and roots, together 
with their medical properties, and how to use and 
apply them. For a description of a course of 
medicine, so often mentioned, under the head of 
treatment, the reader is referred to the index. 
It should always be resorted to in violent at- 
tacks. 

ANGELICA. 

This is well known, and grows in marshy 
meadows and hedges ; the root of angelica is 
strengthening and aromatic ; it is good for colic 
arising from wind in the stomach and bowels. 
One or two tea spoonfuls of the powdered root 
is a dose, or it may be used in decoction, and 
dogwood berries or bark may be steeped with it. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 127 

ALUM ROOT. 

This root is a powerful astringent, and is used 
in hemorrhage, or bleeding from weakness, &c. 
It is used for a gargle in sore mouths. The In- 
dians apply it to wounds, ulcers and cancers. 

AGRIMONY. 

Common agrimony has a perennial root, with 
a rounded heavy stem, growing from one to two 
feet high, blossoms yellow, producing a small 
green bristly bur, which often sticks to clothes 
that come in contact with it. The root of agri- 
mony is a mild astringent tonic, it may be used 
in tea for bowel complaints, fevers, &c. 

ASARIUM, OR SWAMP ASARABACCA, 

grows in low grounds, has but two leaves rising 
from the root, the flowers are purple and bell- 
shaped, and proceed from between the leaves 
It has a nauseous, bitter taste. From a half to a 
table spoonful of the powdered root operates up- 
wards and downwards, steeped in boiling water. 
A table spoonful may be given every half hour 
for whooping cough ; in doses of a tea-cup full 
three times a day it promotes the menses or 
courses. 



128 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

CAMOMILE. 

A warm decoction of the flowers in large 
quantities will act as an emetic, in small doses, 
taken cold, it is an excellent tonic to strengthen 
the stomach. It enters into the wine bitters in 
this work. 

DEADLY NIGHT SHADE, Or BELLADONNA, 

grows two or three feet high, among rubbishy 
and in uncultivated places. The berries are very 
plump and round, first green, then red, and when 
ripe of a shining black. This poisonous plant 
has performed great cures in palsy, epilepsy, 
jaundice, dropsy and tumors. Halt a grain of 
the powdered root or leaves is sufficient to begin 
with, or infuse twenty grains in a pint of boiling 
water, strain when cool, one or two table spoon- 
fuls once a day is a dose. 

colt's foot 
is generally known. Boiling injures it, better 
put into spirits. A strong tea, by steeping, 
brings out a moisture on the skin and strength- 
ens the stomach. 

MAN DRAKE, Or MAY APPLE, 

needs no description, it is an excellent purgative 
in doses from ten to thirty grains, or double that 



129 

quantity, infused in a gill of water, or equal quan- 
tities mandrake juice and molasses may be mixed, 
and a tablespoonful taken every hour or two 
until it operates. The Indians gather the root 
in the fall, when the leaves turn yellow, and dry 
it in the shade and pulverize it for use. 
rhubarb root, (Radix Rhei,) 
is generally cultivated in our gardens for the sale 
of the stalks, which are made into excellent pies ; 
the root, however, is of the same kind of rhubarb 
as that which is imported from Asia. Small 
doses of rhubarb, from six to ten grains are as- 
tringent and strengthening to the stomach ; in 
larger doses, a tea spoonful, it is first purgative 
and then astringent. It is, therefore an excel- 
lent medicine for diarrhea and dysentery, because 
it evacuates any acrid matter that may be offend- 
ing the bowels, before it acts as an astringent. 

AMERICAN IPECAC, Or INDIAN PHYSIC 

grows about two or three feet high, in low woods 
and meadows, and is very common in all parts 
of the country ; it is equal to foreign ipecac. 
Thirty or forty grains of the pulverized root act 
as an emetic. In doses of five or six grains 
every two hours it acts as a sudorific, or a hand 



130 THE SIOK MAN'S FRIEND. 

full of the fresh root may be infused in a pint of 
boiling water, and a small tea spoonful taken 
every fifteen or twenty minutes, until it produ- 
ces vomiting. 

CELANDINE 

grows by running brooks, is about two feet high, 
and the stalks have larger joints than are com- 
mon with other plants, and are very easily bro- 
ken, it is generally well known. Twenty or 
thirty drops of the juice, or half a tea spoonful 
of the powdered root in new milk, morning and 
evening is a cure for the dropsy, green sickness, 
and cutaneous eruptions. The juice rubbed on 
warts, ring and tetter worms, completely removes 
them. Made into an ointment or plaster, is a 
good application for piles, and effectually cures 
the king's evil. 

SWEET FLAG. 

This is well known by everybody by the name 
of calamus. It is good for wind colic in children, 
where there is no fever. 

BEARBERRY 

is a low ever-green shrub, also called whortle- 
berry and wild cranberry. It relieves the stone, 
gravel, course? of females, and also catarrh and 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 131 

consumption. Make a tea of the leaves, a 
handful to a pint of water, take half a pint two 
or three times a day. 

AVENS ROOT, 

Called chocolate root, throat root, cure-all, is a 
powerful astringent and a good tonic. A strong 
decoction sweetened, is useful in all cases of de- 
bility, dyspepsia, bleeding at the lungs, relax, 
colic, sore throat, and uterine hemorrhage. 

FIYE FINGER, Or CINQUEFOIL. 

This root is a gentle astringent, and has been 
found by experience to be very beneficial in 
fevers, and particularly when there is great de- 
bility, lassitude, and night sweats, which last it 
seldom fails to check, it also helps the appetite. 
It is taken in decoction, or may be boiled in 
milk. It is serviceable in allaying fluxes, im- 
moderate flow of the menses, &c. 

BEECH DROPS, 

Cancer root or broom-rape, grows under beech 
trees, six or eight inches high, brittle^ of a 
brown color but no leaves, bulbous root. It is 
disagreeably bitter, tonic and astringent. The 
fresh bruised root externally applied is celebra- 
ted for curing the cancer, ulcers and St. Vitus 



132 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

fire ; internally it is good for convulsions, and 
after physic lias been taken for dysentery and 
diarrhea. 

FEATHERFEW. 

A common garden plant ; a tea of it freely 
drank, expels wind, promotes the menses, and 
relieves hysterics and low spirits. 

LIFE ROOT 

is a very choice medicine, it is good combined 
with angelica root, meadow cabbage root, make 
a tea for females. A good cure for gravel, it is 
a powerful diuretic. 

BLOOD ROOT 

is also called red root, Indian paint, &c, and is 
generally well known. The powdered root 
twenty or thirty grains is a powerful emetic, in 
smaller doses, for ulcerous sore throats, croup 
and hives, it is equal to the Seneca Snake root f 
and one or two grains every two or three hours, 
is an excellent diuretic in colds, pleuricies, bleed- 
ing of the lungs, good in scarlet fever ; in tinc- 
ture ten drops a day, three or four times, for 
suppression of the menses. 

STRAMONIUM, THORN APPLE, STINK WEED, &C. 

The leaves and seeds are used. This is one of 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 133 

the wandering plants, common to all parts of the 
world, and spreading with the utmost facility. 
Stramonium leaves, green or dry, used in the 
elm poultice for inflammatory swellings of every 
kind, the ointment is good for piles, burns, etc., 
the juice in doses of two grains twice a day is 
good for epilepsy and other fits. 

WILD CARROT. 

• This plant grows in most parts of the United 
States, and is found by the sides of old fields 
and uncultivated grounds. Properties — this 
plant is diuretic, acting particularly upon all the 
urinary organs. Given in strong tea it is very 
useful in gravelly complaints, and in the passage 
of stone from the kidneys and bladder. For 
gravel take strong tea, warm, through the day. 

SAFFRON, GARDEN SAFFRON, 

Saffron, in small doses, is given as a driving, 
forcing medicine, producing perspiration. It 
brings out the red gum, upon young infants, 
also the measles, small pox, rash, and all erup- 
tive diseases. 

WELD INDIGO, Or BAPTISIA TINCTORIA. 

This plant is found all over the United States. 
It is purgative, emetic, and stimulant ; in the 



134 

form of poultice, is very good in inflammatory 
affections, bordering upon gangreen ; the cortical 
part of the bark is that which we use. It is 
good in syphilitic ulcers, also for almost every 
sore, such as malignant ulcerous sore mouth and 
throat, mercurial sore mouth, sore nipples, &c. 
It may be used externally in strong decoction, 
as a wash, fomentation, poultice, or ointment., 
made with cream or lard ; it is a prominent 
part in the yellow salve, which is very useful in 
various kinds of ulcers. For a poultice make a 
strong decoction, thicken with slippery elm and 
spikenard. 

OAK BARK. 

Either black or red oak bark is tonic, astrin- 
gent, and powerfully anticeptic, and is good in 
all cases where peruvian bark is good, and may 
be used in decoction internally and externally. 

SPIKENARD. 

This is a common plant, and well known ; the 
roots and berries are the parts used, and are pop- 
ular remedies throughout the United States for 
coughs, female weakness, as general tonics, used 
in tea or syrup. The roots bruised and used in 
poultice, are applied by the Indians to all kinds 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIENtD. 135 

of wounds and ulcers, and also to ring worms, 
they are better than sarsaparilla, in syphilis and 
all other complaints in which that article is 
used. 

MALE FERN. 

This root appears to be very troublesome to 
intestinal worms, and particularly to the tape 
worm. This article constitutes the basis of the 
celebrated specific of Madam Nomer for the 
tape worm. There is much evidence that it has 
expelled the tape worm. It is said to be much 
used in Europe for this purpose. A table spoon- 
ful of the powdered root may be given three or 
four times a day ; three days afterward give a 
strong purgative, or a strong tea may be freely 
drank. The oil of the same is highly recom- 
mended for tape worm. 

PRICKLY ASH BARK AND BERRIES, 

Generally found in meadows and low moist 
ground. This bark possesses very energetic 
stimulant, and diaphoretic properties. It is a 
popular medicine, and often used as a remedy 
in chronic rheumatism. It, combined with Vir- 
ginia snake root, mustard seeds and wahoo bark, 
put into spirits, is very thinning to the blood. It 



136 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

quickens and cleanses, and throws out all erup- 
tive diseases. This is my Blood Bitters, which 
I have made great use of in my ^practice for over 
twenty-five years. 

sumach, bake: of the root and berries; 
[This grows throughout the United States, in bar- 
ren fields, by the sides of fences, generally in 
gravelly soils. It is astringent, an infusion of 
the berries, sweetened with honey, is sometimes 
used as a gargle in sore throats, and for cleans- 
ing the mouth in putrid fevers. The bark of the 
root is considered good in the form of poultices 
for old ulcers, it is hardly equalled by any. The 
bark in decoction, for prolapsus, falling of the 
bowels and of the womb. A decoction of the 
berries make an excellent gargle for quinsy and 
putrid sore throat, also tea made strong, checks 
excessive flooding. 

pokeweed 
Is very active, and operates as an emetic and 
cathartic. If an ounce of the root be steeped in 
a pint of wine, two table spoonfuls will operate 
well as an emetic, in smaller doses it is an ex- 
cellent remedy for rheumatism, and it cures the 
venereal disease without mercury. A decoction 



the sick: man's friend. 137 

of the leaves is used externally for the piles ;. an 
ointment made by simmering a handful of the 
roots or leaves in a pint of lard, adding a little 
beeswax is applied to ulcers, 

HORSE RADISH, ROOT. 

A very stimulating medicine. Horse radish 
grated and mixed with vinegar, and mustard 
with vinegar, are very good in palsy, take a 
little on every mouthful of food taken. The first 
used as a wash removes freckles. 

SASSAFRAS. 

Is an aromatic or pleasant tonic. Sassafras, 
prickly ash, dogwood, and American gentian, 
make as powerful and as pleasant a bitters as 
the foreign gentian, columbo, peruvian bark, 
cloves and cinnamon, as that we buy at the drug 
stores. 

GRAVEL WEED, 

Grows on dry land where wintergreen is found, 
the stalk does not rise much from the ground, 
but runs along and takes a new root, the leaf is 
a pale green, thick and round, and bears a small 
white blossom. It grows in little beds or mats, 
the leaves thick together; boiling injures it ; an 
infusion of the leaves and vines in hot water is 



138 the sick: man's fbiend. 

said to be an effectual cure for gravel in the kid- 
ney, or stone in the bladder. The use of it must 
be continued for some time. 

kino's evil weed 
grows in the woods something like plantain, but 
the leaves are smaller, spotted green and white, 
a single stalk runs up from th'B middle of the 
plant six or eight inches high, bearing on the 
top a small round bud. It is considered an in- 
fallible cure for king's evil. Make a poultice of 
the whole plant, and apply it to the swelling, 
and use a tea of the same for constant drink. 

YELLOW DOCK. 

The root is very efficacious in cleansing the 
blood of humors, and open cancers have been 
cured by applying the narrow leaved dock as a 
fomentation poultice, and by drinking each day 
from a pint to a quart of the decoction. An 
ointment is also good to discuss indolent tumors. 

SARSAPARILLA. 

We make much use of this article in our prac- 
tice. It is good for impurity of the blood and 
disorders of the skin. If used in decoction, a 
large handful of the roots to one quart of water 
boiled down one- third. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 139 

BLUE FLAG. 

This root is very good in several diseases, 
given in doses of six or eight grains night and 
morning it proves gently laxative. It is good 
in venereal, fluor albus, &c, it is good combined 
with male fern for dropsy, in tea, use freely. 

RATTLE-SNAKE ROOT, CORN-SNAKE ROOT. 

The root, chewed or bruised, and laid on the 
wound, cures the bite of a snake. 

LADIES SLIPPER. 

A tea of ladies slipper is used as a substitute 
for valerian, and is a fine regulating medicine 
in female complaints* 

TAG ALDER. 

Bark of the roots boiled in cider is good to 
cleanse the blood in the spring of the year. 

BETH ROOT. 

This plant is a native of North America, well 
known. The root of this plant is astringent, 
tonic, alterative, &c, the root is employed inter- 
nally in bleeding from the kidneys, bladder or 
urethra, in uterine hemmorrhage, immoderate 
menstrual evacuations, spitting of blood, hectic 
fever, asthma, coughs, &c. In doses of a tea 
spoonful of the powdered root, or in infusion, are 



140 THE SICK MAN'S FRIKNI). 

good in fluor albus of females, Externally this 
root is very useful in the form of a poultice in 
tumors, putrid ulcers, carbuncles and mortifica- 
tion, by itself, or what is still better, in combi- 
nation with blood root. 

COMFREY. 

The roots of this plant are good in pulmonary 
irritations, arising from colds, coughs, &c. In 
consumption it is a valuable remedy. We make 
extensive use of it in combination with other 
ingredients, and principally in the form of 
syrups. 

DWARF ALDER. 

A tea made of this bark and wahoo has cured 
dropsy in many cases. The extract of the inner 
bark is good in piles, the juice will vomit and 
purge, both. 

DANDELION. 

This plant is well known, it is one of the most 
valuable plants we have ; it exerts a sure and 
efficacious effect upon the liver, removing ob- 
structions; it is also excellent for the gravel and 
kidney complaints, and may be taken in the form 
of tea, freely. The inspissated juice of the 
plant is the best form to give it. 



THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND. 141 

ELECAMPANE 

Is a very common plant, and possesses pretty- 
good tonic properties ; it is an excellent article 
in combination with others in coughs and colds. 
It enters into my cough drops. 

WINTERGREEN, 

This plant is a stimulant, anodyne and cor- 
dial, and a popular remedy in many parts of the 
country. It is generally used as a tea, but the 
essence and oil possess all the properties, and 
are kept in the shops, the oil to disguise a great 
many patent medicines. 

LOBELIA, INFLATA OR INDIAN TOBACCO. 

This plant is well known throughout the coun- 
try. When given in tea spoonful doses, repeat- 
ed every ten or fifteen minutes, it pukes freely. 
It is best combined with those articles which 
modify its action, in which manner I administer 
it. I combine it with blood root and Ipecac, 
equal parts, which make an excellent emetic in 
all cases where its use is required. It is very 
useful in asthma, &c. It enters into my emetic 
powders. 

QUEEN OF THE MEADOW. 

A large handful of the roots boiled in three 



142 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

pints of water, down to a quart, and g iven in 
doses of a tea cupful every two hours, is good in 
gravel, bloody urine and suppressions of urine ; 
it strengthens, and carries off the water in dropsy. 

BONE-SET, Or THOROUGHWORT. 

This plant possesses very active properties, ac- 
cording to the dose in which it is administered. 
The warm infusion acts as a sudorific, producing 
copious sweating. It is also an excellent article 
for coughs, and is likewise used in hysterical 
complaints. In dropsical complaints it is em- 
ployed as a diuretic. The leaves and blossoms 
are the parts used for medical purposes, of which 
the extract and syrups contain all the medical 
properties, and are less disagreeable to the taste. 

PLEURISY ROOT. 

Common names, pleurisy foot, white root, 
flux root, wind root. It is found throughout the 
United States. This root is a popular remedy 
for pleurisy, and is used in the form of tea to 
promote perspiration, it is also recommended for 
colic, flatulency, and lung complaints. I some- 
times add man-drake root, and give a strong tea 
in pleurisy. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 14:3 

cicuta, common name, hemlock. 
In the form of extract and made into pills half the 
size of a small pea, given twice a day, is good to 
discuss scrofulous and cancerous tumors of the 
breast. The plaster is also good for tumors and 
swellings. For tumors take inspissated juice of 
hemlock, or the extract, wax and resin, of each 
two parts, olive oil, one part, melt and spread on 
leather. I use the leaves in my aromatic poul- 
tice. 

AMERICAN GENTIAN, THE ROOT. 

Grows two or three feet high, the stem is 
6trong and erect, but the leaves surround the 
stalk like bone-set, and at the junction of the 
leaf with the stalk, on the upper side, yellow 
flowers appear, which terminate in bitter berries 
containing seeds ; it is better than imported 
gentian. Not only is it a tonic, but it corrects 
unhealthy secretions, and produces that healing 
effect upon the lungs and liver which no other 
medicine can do. It enters into my wine bitters. 

SAMPSON SNAKE ROOT 

Grows one, two or three feet high, the leaves are 
dark green and very smooth on the under side. 
It blossoms about the last of August, bearing 



144: THE SICK MA.n's FlilEND. 

circular, pale blue flowers on the top of the stalk. 
The root is fibrous, of an agreeable taste, run- 
ning near the surface, from which, in the fall, 
red sprouts are found shooting up to form the 
stalk. It is used in debility of the nervous sys- 
tem. A wineglass full of the tincture, or more 
of the decoction, three times a day. 

DOGWOOD 

Grows fifteen or twenty feet high, bearing large 
white flowers, is well known. It is a powerful 
tonic, and is equal to the peruvian bark. The 
bark is used for the ague, either pulverized, or 
in tincture or decoction, and the Indians make 
use of the flowers for the same purpose. 

ROSE WILLOW. 

This grows on the banks of brooks or rivers, 
about the size of an apple tree, with a bunch in 
the top resembling a bunch of roses, grey color- 
ed bark outside, red within. A large handful of 
the bark boiled in three pints of water, down to 
a quart, is used for the gleet, whites, immoderate 
flowing of the menses, and cutaneous eruptions. 
I make use of it as follows : Take two ounces of 
the bark, two ounces uf the inner bark of red 
beech pulverized, add one quart wine. Dose, 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 145 

one table spoonful three times a day. This is 
an effectual cure for children wetting the bed, 
it cannot be beat in the cure of diabetes. 

MUSTARD. 

The pulverized seeds are a diffusable stimulus. 
When taken whole, in the dose of a table spoon- 
ful or more, they produce a gentle evacuation 
without weakening the stomach and bowels, 
also good in doses of two tea spoonfuls twice a 
day in the turn of life. 

FOXGLOVE, THE LEAVES. 

This plant grows on dry, sandy ground, for 
tiie most part, on the high as well as the low 
places, and flourishes well in America. Proper^ 
erties — Sedative and diuretic, diminishing the 
activity of the pulse and the general irritability 
of the system, and increasing the action of the 
absorbants and the discharge of urine ; and for 
dropsy in the chest this medicine is very useful. 
Add half a pint of boiling water to a tea spoon- 
ful of the leaves, and for dropsy give a table 
spoonful every two hours. It never fails to in- 
crease the discharge of urine and afford relief. 

MALLOWS 

grow in almost every door yard. There are two 



146 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

kinds, but the properties of both are the same. 
It is mucilaginous, and useful in dysentery, 
gravel, stranguary, and the scalding of urine. 

SKUNK CABBAGE. 

The root and seeds of the skunk cabbage are 
expectorant, antispasmodic and anti-hysteric. 
As an expectorant they are useful in asthma, 
cough, consumption, and all affections of the 
lungs that need medicines of this kind, they are 
used in hysterics, whooping cough, convulsions 
lying-in-women, and in all spasmodic affections, 
and are said not to be inferior in efficacy to the 
best remedies of that class. The pulverized root 
may be given in tea spoonful doses, repeated ac- 
cording to circumstances, or it may be combined 
with angelica and life root, make a tea, and drink 
freely. This is the green tea that has been dealt 
out so much by myself and Dr. Tenant for a 
good many years in this State. 

WORMWOOD. 

Wormwood is possessed of very valuable pro- 
perties, both stimulant and tonic. When given 
in moderate doses it promotes the appetite and 
digestion, quickens the circulation and imparts 
to the whole system a strengthening influence. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 14:7 

It is given in all cases requiring tonics, in dys- 
pepsia, and all tonic states of the intestinal canal, 
in debility of the membranes of the intestines. 
It is often given in intermittent fevers with good 
success ; it is very useful in fomentations for 
bruises and inflammations in general. Dose of 
the powder, from half to one ounce in a pint of 
cold water, externall as a fomentation. 

TANSY. 

Very useful as a tea in fevers, agues, hysterics, 
dropsy, and to regulate labor pains, given in the 
form of tea. Tansy and sage is the best, safest 
and surest of all medicines for worms, given in 
a strong tea, sweetened with molasses. 

WILD TURNIP, INDIAN TURNIP. 

This article must be used in substance, and 
generally enters into compounds for coughs. 
When in a dry state, or the fresh roots may be 
grated and mixed with three times their weight 
of sugar, thus forming a conserve, which must 
be taken in tea spoonful doses, three times a day. 
A poultice made by bruising the green roots 
and leaves is said to be very useful for scrofu. 
lous swellings, &c. 



148 THIS SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

SENECA SNAKE BOOT. 

This root is deemed an antidote for snake 
bites, as well as being stimulant, diuretic, emet- 
ic, purgative and emmenagogue; useful in colds, 
pleurisies and female obstructions. It may be 
given in powder, tea or syrup. The proper 
dose of the powder is from one-third to a half 
tea spoonful, every three hours until the desired 
effect is produced. 

POPLAR. 

The bark of this tree affords one of the finest 
tonic bitters. It may be used in powder or de- 
coction or tincture, for diarrhea, obstruction of 
the urine, indigestion, faintness at the stomach, 
consumption and worms. The bark may also 
be pulverized and compounded with other tonics, 
and used in all cases. 

MILK WEED, Or SILK WEED. 

The root of this plant is a powerful diuretic. 
Boil eight ounces of the root in six quarts of 
rain water, to three, strain it for use. For the 
dropsy take a gill of this decoction four times a 
day, increasing the dose according to the effect. 
Those who are troubled with a suppression of 
the urine may take a tea cup full of this decoc- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 149 

tion four times a day, sweetened with honey. 

WANDERING MILK WEED. 

The root of this plant is a good cure for chron- 
ic rheumatism; take the roots and add a pintot 
whisky. Dose, one table spoonful twice a day. 
The powdered root added to catarrh snuff is good 
for the headache. 

SPEARMINT. 

Infusion made by bruising a handful in a 
quart of boiling water. It constitutes the prin- 
ciple article in the spirits of mint, which is made 
by bruising the green plant and ad ding sufficient 
fourth proof gin to make a saturated tincture, 
which makes a preperation good in suppression 
of urine, gravelly affections, &c. The doses of 
this preparation is a wineglass full, drank as 
often as the stomach will bear. Cotton wet in 
the above tincture and applied to the piles, af- 
fords immediate relief. This makes the spirits 
of mint. 

CALUMBA. 

This is one of our native plants, it acts as a 
tonic, it gives strength to the stomach and intes- 
tines without stimulating. In dyspeptic com- 
plaints it exerts its greatest benefits, and it is one 



150 THE SICK MAN ? S FRIEND. 

of the best tonics that we can employ. This 
with ipecacuanha is good in dyspepsia- Give 
ten or twelve grains of calumba and two of ipe- 
cacuanha. 

HOPS. 

The tincture of hops relieves pain. In tea 
spoonful doses it relieves after pains, and in cases 
where opium cannot be taken. Boiled in vine- 
gar and water it makes an excellent fomentation 
to relieve pain in the bowels, head and other 
parts ; the extract is a good anodyne. 

POPPY. 

The action of opium appears to be on the 
nervous system ; when given in small doses it 
diminishes sensibility and causes a tranquility 
in the system and sleep. It should be used only 
as an anodyne, but when combined with other 
ingredients, with a view to act upon the secre- 
tions, it may be given in many diseases with a 
signal benefit. Opium may be given in doses 
of from one to three grains, laudanum from 
thirty to sixty drops. A medium dose for a 
grown person is forty drops. A syrup made of 
the capsules or heads is the best for children, as 
the water takes up less of the narcotic principle 



THE SICK MAJST's FRIEND. 151 

than spirits. In cases where other means fail to 
allay pain, it is good to give opium in the form 
of pills or powder, but should be dispensed with 
in every case where it is possible. 

VIRGINIA SNAKE ROOT 

Is tonic, and therefore good to strengthen the 
stomach, and good combined with prickly ash, 
mustard, wahoo, and spirits, to cleanse the blood 
and bring out humors. 

CRANES BILL. 

The best time for collecting this plant is in the 
fall. It is a very good astringent, useful in 
bleeding, internally or externally, from the lungs, 
womb &c. A tea made of beth root and cranes 
bill is excellent for flooding, whites, etc. A tea 
of cranes bill is said to be good ior whooping 
cough, it should be sweetened with honey. 

MOUNTAIN MINT, Or DITTANY, STONE MINT. 

The whole plant has a warm, fragrant, aromat- 
ic, pungent taste and smell, containing an essen- 
tial oil, easily extracted by distillation. Dittany 
is deemed stimulant, tonic and nervine ; the 
whole plant is used, commonly in warm tea, and 
is a good medicine for colds, headache, hysteri- 
cal affections, fevers, and especially for females, 



152 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

and in all cases where it is an object to excite 
perspiration. It is said to be good for the bites 
of snakes, externally applied, killing rattlesnakes 
by holding it to the nose with a stick. The In- 
dians use it for wounds, and to expel dead 
children, 

CLIVERS, CLEAVERS, Or GOOSEGRASS. 

This plant grows to the height of three feet, 
stem square, slender, has many joints, branched, 
with sharp teeth or prickles, leaves small and 
pointed, flowers small and white, grows in wet 
rough places. This plant made into a strong 
tea in cold water and drank freely is good for 
gravelly complaints and all obstructions of the 
urine. This plant is as good a diuretic as we 
have. I have made great use of it, and found 
jt a good medicine in all suppressions of urine 
and gravelly complaints. 

PENNYROYAL. 

A strong tea of the leaves and stalks of pen- 
nyroyal is in high repute. It is a good remedy 
in fema e obstructions, and may be used either 
in tea, tincture or essence. 

GOLDEN SEAL, Or YELLOW ROOT. 

This plant has a round stem, straight, grows 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 153 

about one foot high, commonly has two rough 
leaves on the top, in the centre of which the 
flower appears. It is principally confined to the 
Western States. Golden seal is a good and val- 
uable bitter tonic, highly useful in all cases of 
debility and loss of appetite. It may be used 
alone or with other tonics ; it is one of the very 
prominent ingredients in my wine bitters, which 
give life and strength. 

PARTREDGE BERRY, Or SQUAW VINE. 

This plant is well known, and is very valuable 
for child-bearing women. Squaw vine received 
its name by the squaws making so much use of 
it. Make tea and drink three or four weeks 
previous to and during delivery ; and it was the 
use of [this plant that rendered that generally 
dreaded event so remarkably sate and easy with 
them. 

CATNIP, Or CATMINT. 

This common plant is accounted valuable as 
an external application poultice to swellings ; 
used in tea it is good for headache, colic, female 
obstructions, hysterics and spasms, it is also 
good to relieve the restlessness and colic of chil- 
dren, for which it is highly valuable. 



154 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

BALSAM FIR, CANADA BALSAM. 

As an internal remedy this balsam is good. 
In complaints of the lungs, either pain, soreness 
or cough, it strengthens the nervous system, 
loosens the bowels, cleanses and heals internal 
ulcers, and diseases of the urinary passages, 
often proving useful in the cure of gleet as well 
as the preceding stages of the venereal complaint 
and in fluor albus or whites. Externally this 
valuable balsam is applied to ulcers and wounds, 
being a good article, used in the healing salves. 
Dose, internally, half a tea spoonful, with sugar 
or molasses. 

SWEAT ROOT, ABSCESS ROOT. 

The root of this plant is the part employed as 
medicine ; the knowledge of the virtues of which 
was derived from the Indians, and has been con- 
firmed by the experience of several botanic 
practitioners. The Indians make a tea ot the 
roots and drink freely of it in fevers, pleurisies, 
and in all cases where they wish to produce a 
good sweat. To make tincture, take a handful 
of the roots, add one quart of whisky ; take half 
a wine glass full three times a day to cleanse the 
blood and system of humors. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 155 

SKULLCAP. 

This plant is quite common and needs no des- 
cription. It is exceedingly good in the cure of 
St. Vitus dance, and has become quite famous 
as a cure for the bites of mad dogs. Its pro- 
perties as a medicine in this disease was first 
discovered by Dr. Vanderveer, who used it with 
the utmost success until 1815, at which period he 
died. It is said that he cured four thousand 
of this disease, and prevented one thousand 
more from becoming affected after they had been 
bitten by rabid animals. It is very useful in 
convulsions and tumors, lock jaw, and all cases 
of nervous irritations, given in form of infusion 
or tea, to be drank through the day ; it is an 
excellent nervine, used as a common drink. 

MAN ROOT. Or MAN IN THE GROUND. 

The stem is a climbing vine of a purplish col- 
or, from three to twelve feet long, leaves heart- 
shaped at the base, flowers resemble the morning 
glory, white or purplish. The root is cathartic, 
diuretic, is used in dropsy, gravel, coughs, con- 
sumption, asthma, &c. The extract is, by some, 
considered a very valuable cathartic, equal to 
jalap, rhubarb or scammony, and may be used 



156 the sick: man's friend. 

in substance or decoction, or it may be made 
into a syrup with skunk cabbage. 

SWEET BALSAM, Or LIFE EVERLASTING. 

A tea is good for pain in the breast, weakness 
of the lungs, and in consumption, stranguary, 
gravel and fluor albus, excellent to excite per- 
spiration. I have used this balsam in my prac- 
tice for twenty years ; in all cases of fevers, for 
common drink, it is the best help of any tea I 
have ever found. 

HOARHOUND, THE LEAVES AND STEMS. 

Grows about a foot in height, leaves in pairs, 
flowers white, and is found growing along fences 
and roadsides. It is tonic, and it is a very ex- 
cellent remedy in colds, coughs, and all pulmon- 
ary affections ; it is very good in consumption, 
and is most generally given in the form of syrup 
and infusion, or tea ; it is used in the form of 
syrup for colds and coughs. 

SLIPPERY ELM. 

This bark is of much importance in medicine; 
infused in water it affords an abundant mucilage, 
which is useful in dysentery, coughs, pleurisies, 
quinsies, &c. A very good way of preparing 
the bark for internal use is to pulverize it finely, 



THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND. 157 

mix an equal quantity of sugar with it, and add 
warm water enough to form it into a soft, pulpy 
mucilage. Some prefer the bark simply infused 
in cold water, the patient drinking oft' the mu- 
cilagmous liquid ; prepared in either way it is 
good in diarrhea and dysentery. It is also good in 
sore throats, colds, coughs, fevers and poultices. 

INDIAN FEVER ROOT. 

This is one of the sweating plants used by the 
Indians; made in a tea and drank moderately 
will relax the bowels and produce sweating and 
effectually cure fevers. 

SMART WEED. 

This valuable plant is well known ; it is a 
powerful herb, and allays inflammation, removes 
cold sweatings and dissolves congealed blood in 
bruises blows, &c. For these purposes it should 
be applied in 6trong poultice. The juice des- 
troys w rmsin the ears, when dropped into them. 

RED RASPBERRY. 

The leaves of this article are valuable when 
given in tea, to facilitate the operation in emet- 
ics, good astringent in decoction, useful in bowel 
complaints, and for external applications to soften 
poultices for scalds and burns, and as a wash, 



158 * THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

with the addition of borax, to wash soi e nipples ; 
also in a strong tea to regulate the pains of wo- 
men in travail, much use is made of it. 

BLOOD ROOT. 

This root pulverized is good in bleeding of the 
lungs, combined with lobelia, is used as an emet- 
ic in croup, scarlet fever ; in cough drops ; in 
the form of snuff for the cure of catarrh, poly- 
pus and foul ulcers. It has been used with good 
effect in tincture with the tincture of gum mjrrh 
for the suppression of the menses, in doses of 
one tea spoonful twice a day, continued for some 
time. The two tinctures are very healing for 
fresh wounds, blows, &c. Blood root mixed 
with vinegar is also an excellent cure for ring 
worms, and the powder applied to fungus or 
proud flesh removes it. The Alleghany Indians 
near me make great use of blood root. 

KNOT ROOT. 

Used for sores, painful parts, swellings, poison, 
headache, in tea. For headache, colic, cramp, 
dropsy, indigestion, &c, used in a poultice, the 
whole leaves, fresh or dry. 

GOLD THREAD. 

The leaves ever-green, on long slender foot 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 159 

stalks, growing three together, flowers white and 
yellow on a separate stern. Gold thread is a 
strong bitter tonic, it promotes digestion and 
strengthens the system, useful in all cases of de- 
b lity. It is used as a remedy for sore mouth 
and canker. The roots are the only part used, 
and may be used in powder or tincture, in tea 
spoonful doses, three times a day. 

BLACK COHOSH, Or SQUAW ROOT. 

This is the Indian remedy, and much used in 
rheumatism, and also to facilitate child-birth, 
so its name, squaw root. It is good tinctured in 
brandy for chronic rheumatics, also good in 
female obstructions. It is used by the Indians 
for the bites of snakes, and for that purpose it is 
bruised and applied to the wound, It may be 
taken in strong tea very effectually. 

GUM MYRRH. 

Myrrh is a good tonic, it strengthens the 
stomachy assists digestion and promotes the se- 
cretions. It is good in malignant, putrid disor- 
ders, also in ulcers, both externally and internal- 
ly applied. It is made in tincture, take six 
ounces of myrrh, pulverized, add two quarts of 
alcohol, bottle and set in a warm place. It 



160 THE SICK MAN'S FLUES D. 

should be shaken often for ttn or twelve days, 
then pour it oft for .use. This is very good in 
dysentery. The tincture of myrrh and tincture 
of cayenne pepper mixed half and half, given 
in tea spoonful doses with sweetened milk, cures 
colic, and makes a sharp, delightful milk punchy 
It is also the best remedy for cramp in the side 
or stomach, and is good in all bowel complaints 
that are attended with griping. 

GENTIAN, AMERICAN. 

Gentian is a very useful tonic, in all cases 
where tonics are required. In dyspepsia this 
article cannot be beat, it is given in conjunction 
with othej tonics and astringents, which appear 
to increase its value. It is used in the wine bit- 
ters, syrups, &c. 

ELDER, FLOWERS, LEAVES, BARK BERRIES. 

This shrub grows all over the United States, 
flowers in June. Every part of this shrub con- 
tains good medical qualities, the bark is useful 
in dropsy, the leaves are used in an ointment, 
the flowers are good in erysipelas. Make a strung 
tea, let the patient drink freely of it, and wash 
frequently with the tea. I have cured a great 
many with it. They aie excellent to purify the 



THE SICK MAN ? 8 FRIEND. 161 

blood, good in poultice, the ted is very good to 
remove the hepatic affections of children, and 
to regulate the bowels. The elder berries are 
useful to make medical wine, take the berries 
and black berries, half and half, say ten or 
twelve quarts each, jam, press out the juice, add 
fifteen pounds sugar, makes five gallons good 
medical wine alter it is fermented. I prefer 
maple sugar for wine. 

culver's physic, black root or bowman root. 
Good purgative, it operates with mildness and 
certainty, without debility. In malignant and 
bilious fever it removes a black, tarry and mor- 
bid matter from the intestines. Dose a large 
tea spoonful in a gill of boiling water, sweeten. 
If it does not operate, repeat in two hours or so. 

BLACK PEPPER. 

Appears to possess, in an inferior degree, the 
stimulant properties of cayenne, for which it 
may be substituted. It is slightly astringent 
and may be used as a substitute for cayenne or 
red. Dose, one teaspoonful in hot water sweet- 
ened. 

BLACK ALDER, Or WINTER BERRY. 

This is a common shrub or bush, growing in 



162 THE SICK MAN'S FKIEND. 

swamps near ponds and streams, and in weS 
lands, it is usually in bunches, from six to ten 
feet high, bark a dark ash color, spotted and 
white, flowers small and white, producing ber- 
ries. This shrub may be distinguished by its 
berries from the tag alder, or any other. The 
bark is highly celebrated as a tonic, it is altera- 
tive and vermifuge; useful in all cases ol re- 
covery from fevers and other sickness. In drop-* 
sy, jaundice, externally fur foul ulcers, mortified 
parts ; it may be combined with sassafras or 
other stimulating tonics ; used in decoction, both 
externally and internally ; for all complaints of 
the skin this article is an excellent remedy, by 
drinking a tea cupful of the decoction several 
times a day, and using the same frequently as a 
wash. The berries are also used for the same 
purpose as the bark, and may Le tinctured in 
spirits, which make a good tonic for all com- 
plaints, particularly for worms. Dose, from half 
to a whole tea spoonful three or four times a 
day, in hot water sweetened, or an ounce of the 
bark may be steeped in a pint and a half of 
water down to a pint, and taken in gill doses, 
twice a day. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 163 

Black birch, or sweet birch, spruce birch. 

This tree is so common that it needs no des- 
cription. The bark smells and tastes much like 
the wintergreen, it is deemed a good tonic, and 
and as such may be either used alone in strong 
tea, or may be combined with other tonics and 
used in decoction or made into a syrup, and 
taken to restore the strength and tone of the 
bowels after all kinds of bowel complaints. It 
is also said to be useful in gravel, and to remove 
female obstructions. It always grows on upland. 
mullein. 

This plant is too "valuable to pass unnoticed, 
as it is so common everywhere. The leaves are 
used instead of flannel, and dipped in hot water 
or medicated decoction. They are valuable for 
fomentations, also useful with the slippery elm 
in poultices applied to swellings and contracted 
sinews. A strong tea taken as a drink is good 
for asthma, coughs, bleeding at the lungs ; good 
as a wash for scalds, burns, and piles. A fine 
relaxing oil may be made from the flowers by 
putting them into a glass bottle, cork it tight 
and place it in the sun, the warmth of the sun 
will soon extract the pure oil- 



164 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

CARAWAY, THE SEEDS. 

This plant is cultivated in our gardens both 
for medical and culinary purposes, on account 
of their aromatic smell and warm pungent taste. 
The seeds of caraway may be classed among the 
finest stomachics and carminatives of our cli- 
mates. To persons afflicted with flatulency, and 
liable to colics, if administered in proper quan- 
tities, they generally afford relief. 

ROSE, THE FLOWERS* 

Astringent, tonic, &c, used with advantage 
in passive hemmorhage, mucous discharges, di- 
arrhea, and other similar aflections. It is used 
by some externally, in the form of an eye water, 
by adding rose water to the pith of sassafras, 
which constitutes a mucilaginous liquid, and is 
very serviceable in ophthalmia, or inflammation 
of the eyes ; good in infusion by adding two 
pinches of the petals to a pint of boiling water 
Syrup of roses is made by adding one part of 
roses to nine of boiling water and ten of sugar. 
st. John's wort. 

Pectoral and nervine, blossoms chiefly used, 
although they are yellow, they will dye oils red* 
In bear's oil, sweet oil, &c, they make a fine 



THE SICK MAN'S FK1KND. 165 

balsamic ointment tor wounds, sores, swellings, 
ulcers, tumors, rough sk n, &c. A. tea of the 
leaves gives relief ill diseases of the lungs, hys- 
terics and low spirits. A syrup made with sage 
is good for coughs. Dose for a child one year 
old, one table spoonful. 

HOLLYHOCK. 

This beautiful plant is raised in our gardens, 
and the leaves are a good astringent. A tea of 
them an<! rose flowers, made strong and sweet- 
ened with honey, drank freely, proves useful in 
fluor albus. 

BLOODWOET, STKli>Et>. 

It is said that the properties of this plant are 
voluntary astringent and pectoral. A decoction 
of it drank will immediatel stop immoderate 
flowing of the menses nnd other hemmorrhages. 
The powder oi blood wort mixed with an equal 
quantity of blood root and a little alum, and 
used as a snuff for polypus in the nose, frequent- 
ly destroys it iu the course of a week. The de- 
coction of this root, made into a syrup, has been 
found very beneficial in consumptions accom- 
panied with spitting of blood The juice of tne 
green leaves of bloodwort, bone set and rattle- 



166 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

snake plantain, equal parts, a gill drank at a 
dose, is said to be an infallable cure for the bite 
of a rattle-snake, or any other poisonous reptile. 
The bruised leaves should also be applied to the 
wound, and changed often. 

WttlfU HELLEBORE. 

Grows by the side of brooks and is among 
the first plants seen in the spring, with large 
green leaves. A few grains of the powder causes 
a continual sneezing. An ointment cures the 
itch, scald head and other eruptions. A sub- 
stance, veratria, is made from it, which is pow- 
erful to deaden pain. 

WHORTLEBERRY, Or HUCKLEBERRY. 

This fruit is much used and esteemed to make 
pies, puddings, cakes, &c , yet the berries and 
root are strongly diuretic. Tuke of these ber- 
ries and juniper berries, half and half, bruised 
and put into gin and drank as the stomach will 
bear, seldom ever fails to relieve or cure the 
gravelly and dropsical affections. 

JUNIPER, THE BERRIES. 

This shrub is very common, growing on the 
banks of streams and rivers. The berries and 
oil are both possessed of a powerful diuretic 



THE SICK MAISTS FRIEND. 167 

quality, exercising a very decided stimulating 
action on the general economy, but more especial- 
ly upon the kidneys, by increasing the secretions 
of these organs. They are principally exhibited 
in dropsy, the oil is carminative, and may be 
given in flatulency, gravel, &c, the berries may 
be given in tea, and the oil in sweetened water, 
from four to six drops at a time. 

yaw root, or queen's delight. 
This is a large root, purgative, alterative, anti- 
venereal, very valuable in yaws, ulcers, venereal 
and dropsy. Make a syrup or decoction, and 
take sufficient to loosen up the bowels well. 

MOUNTAIN DITTANY, Or HORSE MINT, STONE MINT. 

The properties of this plant are stimulant, 
nervine, sudorific, cephalic and aromatic ; it is 
also good tor colds, headache, and in all cases 
where it is necessary to excite perspiration ; good 
for nervous headache, hysterics and suppressed 
menses and urine. 

gall, from the gall-bladder of an animal. 

Is highly recommeded as a medicine, and has 
been used in many complaints with signal bene- 
fit. In stomach and liver diseases, mixed with 
mandrake, made into pills, and give three or 



168 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 

four twice a day, is said to act upon the human 
system as oil does upon a watch, which makes 
it run easy. 

COMMON SALT. 

This salt possesses great medicinal as well as 
antiseptic properties. Dissolved in good spirits 
it is good for sore throat and all kinds of ulcers* 
also to drive away scrofulous and other swellings, 
fistula, tumors, wens, &c. A tea spoonful taken 
frequently is good to stop bleeding of the lungs, 
and applied externally to stop it from wounds ; 
good also for fevers, dyspepsia, &c. Dr. Bond, 
a botanic physician, prescribes salt mixed with 
vinegar and hot water, with great success in the 
cholera, and recommends it for all diseases, par 
ticularly of the stomach, as follows: common 
fine salt one tea spoonful, two table spoonfuls of 
pure cider vinegar, boiling water half pint. 
Give the whole as soon and as hot as possible, 
in half an hour give an injection of the same, 
about a pint, sweetened with molasses, repeat 
as occasion requires. 

CREAM OF TARTAR. 

Cream of tartar is laxative and diuretic. Small 
doses in water form a cooling drink in febrile 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 169 

diseases, and excites the urinary secretions. 
Large doses, in substance, occasions copious 
watery discharges from the bowels, hence it is 
very useful in dropsical cases, whether it oper- 
ates by the kidneys or alimentary canal. When 
added to the resinous purgatives, it renders them 
better suited to inflammatory cases, as in the 
compound powder of rheubarb and soda, or 
powder of jalap and mandrake, and is one of 
the ingredients in my settling powders, found in 
formula. 

COPPERAS, Or GREEN VITRIOL, SULPHATE OF IRON. 

This is used as an external application by sub- 
mitting copperas to the action of a red heat ; by 
it a red powder is formed called crocus martes, 
which as a very powerful astringent. The cro- 
cus martes add sulphate of zinc, equal parts, 
one table spoonful, with one quart of soft water, 
makes a good wash in the cure of lever sores. 

HEMLOCK TREE. 

The inner bark affords a very good astringent, 
and may be employed in all cases where articles 
of that class are indicated; the leaves and boughs 
make a strong tea, drink and set over the steam 
produces a good sweat ; excellent in rheumatism 



170 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

and in the first attacks of fever, good as a fo- 
mentation for swelled testicles, caused by the 
mumps settling to these parts ; used as wash for 
the falling of the bowels and womb. The oil, 
mixed with oil of red cedar is good to bathe 
for rheumatics. The essence is a good stimulant, 
useful in coughs and headache ; the gum for 
plasters, with pine turpentine and burgundy 
pitch. 



COMPOUNDS or FORMULAS. 



Having passed through with a description of 
the single articles, and pointed out their proper^ 
ties and acknowledged virtues, together with 
their mode of preparation, doses, &c, we now 
direct our attention to the various compounds or 
formulas into which they enter. 

BLOOD BITTERS. 

Virginia Snake Root % oz. 

Wahoo Bark j| oz. 

Mustard Seeds 1 table spoonful. 

Spirits 1 quart. 

Dose, half a wineglass three times a day ; this 
is, perhaps, the best for cleansing the blood ; it 
cleanses, quickens and makes it flow freely 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 171 

through the veins, and throws all eruptive dis- 
eases to the surface. 

WINE BITTERS. 

Golden Seal J^ ounce 

Black Alder Bark % do 

Cammomile Flowers j|" do 

Gum Myrrh % do 

Blood Root % do 

Ginseng Root ^ do 

Lady Slipper % do 

Wine 1 quart. 

Dose, one table spoonful three times a day. 
This is a good tonic in all cases where tonics are 
required, it increases the appetite, makes blood* 
which is strength and good health. It is good 
for feeble women after confinement, and in all 
cases of debility. 

DIURBTIO DROPS. 

Sweet Spirits Nitre 2 ounces 

Balsam Copaiba % do 

Balsam Fir )| do 

Sweet or Olive Oil % do 

Spirits Turpentine % do 

Mix Add Camphor . , . 1 scruple. 

Dose, one tea spoonful two or three times a 
day. These drops are administered in scalding 
of urine, whether arising from venereal, reten- 
tion of urine or other complaints, in inflammation 
of the kidneys they give prompt relief. 



172 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

COUGH DROPS. 

Extract Licorice i 2 ounces 

Wild Turnip Root. }£ do 

Elecampane j| do 

Blood Hoot. J£ do 

Alum )£ do 

Put these together with one pint of whisky 
]et it stand two days, stir it frequently, let it set- 
tle. Pour off the liquor, add to it a half pint of 
molasses or honey. Dose, from two to five tea 
spoonfuls as often as five or eight times a day. 
It loosens the mucous, allays the cough, and 
soon gives relief. These are the best cough 
drops that can be produced. 

TOOTH DROPS. 

Take oil of cloves, oil of sassafras, strong tinc- 
ture of cayenne and blood root, equal parts, wet 
cotton and apply to the tooth. If this does not 
give relief apply the forceps and extract the 
tooth. 

ANODYNE CARMINATIVE DROPS. 

Tincture Beever Castor 2 ounces 

Tincture Assafoctida 2 do 

Tincture Paregoric 2 do 

Spirits Camphor - 1 do 

Mix. Dose, from one to two tea spoonfuls ; 
use to regulate and quiet the nerves and procure 
sleep ; good for melancholy, hipo or blues, hys- 
terics, &c. I find much use for it. 



the sick man's friend. 173 

diuretic decoction. 

Spear Mint, herb 2 ounces 

Dwarf Elder 2 do 

Juniper Berries 2 do 

Queen of the Meadow Root 2 do 

Common Milk Weed Root 2 do 

Clivers, herb 2 do 

Bruise all together, make a strong tea. Dose, 
half a pint occasionally through the day. Very 
useful in dropsy, gravel, and to promote the 
urine, &c 

RHEUMATIC DECOCTION. 

Queen of the Meadow 3 ounces 

Sassafras Bark 2 do 

Marsh Mallows 3 do 

Prickly Ash Bark. 2 do 

Burdock Seeds 2 do 

Pound, add two quarts water, steep to three 
pints. Dose, half a pint twice a day ; this is 
good in chronic rheumatism. 

GRAVEL DECOCTION, 

Take life root with the tops, Jacob's Ladder, 
Spearmint ; make a strong tea, drink freely, this 
is highly useful. 

Godfrey's cordial. 

Opium 1 ounce 

Oil Sassafras 1 teaspoonful 

Alcohol 2 ounces 

Dissolve the opium and oil, add four pounds 
molasses with one gallon boiling water. When 



174 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

cold mix them all together. Use for children 
same as paregoric. 

ASTRINGENT GARGLE. 

Take crane's bill root, alum, cohosh, make a 
strong tea, gargle frequently for quinsy. 

SORE THROAT GARGLE. 

Take half and half, vinegar and water ; to a 
tea cupful add one table spoon rounding full of 
salt, two tea spoonfuls tincture cayenne or half 
spoonful powdered, sweetened with honey or 
molasses ; gargle often, and each time swallow 
half tea spoonful or more. 

COMMON FOMENTATION. 

Take a handful each of wormwood, smartweed, 
tansy, hoarhonnd, catnip and mullein, if you can- 
not get all, get as many as you can, put into a 
bag of cloth, put into a pan, pour on boiling 
water to heat, then sprinkle a handful of salt 
o\er, squeeze and apply, in fifteen or twenty 
minutes heat again ; this iollowed, will reduce 
inflammatiou and ease pain. 

COMMON INJECTION. 

Take milk and water, salt, paregoric, a little 
soft soap, molasses; heat it a little warmer than 
milk-warm and inject. 



175 



PILE OINTMENT. 

Take fine cut tobacco, put into some conve- 
nient pan or spider, cover it over, set on the 
stove or fire, burn it to ashes, make it fine, mix 
with hogs lard. Oint around twice a day, set 
some of it up as well as you can ; this is extra 
good for piles. 

ITCH OINTMENT. 

Fresh Butter 1 pound 

Red Precipitate % ounce 

Resin 8 ounces 

Spirits Turpentine % ounce 

Melt the butter and resin together, when partly 
cool add the precipitate and turpentine, mix 
well. Oint twice a day, and take sulphur and 
molasses. This ointment cures all kinds except 
the army. 

ARMY ITCH AND LICE OINTMENT. 

Take anaguintum, one part, verdigris one- 
fourth part, mix well together. Put this on the 
seams and hems of the undershirt and drawers, 
put them on, in two or three days will be cured. 

STICKING PLASTER. 

Take three-fourths of a pound of resin, one 
ounce each, mutton tallow, beeswax, melt to- 
gether, pour into water. 



176 THE SIOK MAN'S FRIEND. 

..... ,^ 

GOOD PLASTER. 

Take one ounce burgundy pitch, half ounce 
each camphor, black pitch, white turpentine, 
melt together for plaster. 

POWDERS, 

Powders are the most simple form in which 
medicine can be given, as their virtues are not 
impaired by passing through any particular 
process, but when it is necessary to administer a 
large quantity of any article, they cannot be 
conveniently taken. They are either simple or 
compound. All powders should be kept in glass 
vessels, closely corked, and free from the light, 
otherwise their virtues may be impaired. Pow- 
ders may be administered in molasses, sauce' 
honey, &c. 

DOVER POWDERS. 

Ipecac, pulverized 1 ounce 

Opium 1 do 

Sulphate Potash 8 do 

Mix. Dose, one level tea spoonful will make 
twelve powders. These powders produce sleep 
and perspiration. These are my fever powders 
which I use in all fevers that require powders. 

FLOWING POWDERS. 

To stop excessive flowing, take deer horn, saw 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 177 

it into thin slices, bake it till brown, then pul- 
verize, make fine. Dose, one tea spoonful, take 
into the mouth, wash it down with some kind of 
drink. It seldom ever requires anything more, 
but if it does not stop in thirty minutes take 
another. I never knew or heard of a failure, 
and I have used it in a great many cases. I 
obtained this remedy of an elderly lady mid- 
wife, she was one of the best, and when doctors 
failed to stop excessive flowing in cases of par- 
turition, sent for her, and she stopped it first dose. 

WORM POWDERS. 

Take calves rennet, one table spoonful, put in 
a tea cup three or four spoonfuls of warm water, 
stir, give half a spoonful, if this does not turn the 
worms repeat the dcse every eight minutes, it 
will turn them with safety. To carry them off, 
give a tea of sage and tansy, sweetened with 
molasses ; if it does not move the bowels after 
taking a number of doses, give physic, this is 
the safest and best. 

COUGH POWDER. 

Take wild turnip, meadow cabbage, ginger, 
little of lobelia, alum, crane's bill, mix in mo- 
lasses. Di»se, a tea spoonful occasionally. Good 



178 THE SICK MAN ? 8 FRIEND. 

in common cough, also in whooping cough. 

COMMON EMETIC POWDER. 

Take blood root, lobelia some times ipecac. 
Mix. Dose, to two tea spoonfuls of the powders 
add two or three^table spoonfuls of warm water, 
take one third, stirred up ; if this does not vomit 
in fifteen minutes give more, and so on till it 
operates. This is excellent in croup. 

COLIC POWDER. 

Pleurisy Root „ 1 ounce 

Cayenne Pepper.. /% do 

Pulverize, mix, add half pint water. Dose, 
one table spoonful every fifteen minutes till re- 
lieved. 

CATARRH SNUFF IN POWDER. 

Take blood root, bark of the baberry root, 
each one ounce, camphor gum and gum myrrh, 
one eighth of an ounce each, mix. This may be 
scented to suit. 

PLASTERS. 

Plasters, like ointments, have generally for 
their basis, an oily or fatty substance, but they 
are more solid and tough, and adhere to the 
parts without melting. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 179 

COMMON PLASTER. 

Litharge 4 ounces 

Olive Oil 8 do 

Water 1 quart 

Boil till the litharge and oil unite into a plas- 
ter. Use for common dressings. 

STICKING, Or ADHESIVE PLASTER. 

Common Plaster 4 ounces 

Burgundy Pitch 2 do 

Melt them together, stir well till cold. 

ANODYNE PLASTER. 

Melt four ounces of adhesive plaster, and 
while it is cooling stir in half an ounce of opium, 
and half an ounce of camphor gum, both made 
fine ; the camphor gum put on a few drops of 
sweet oil will pulverize easy. This plaster is 
good for pain in the back, side, or any part of 
the body, on the temples for headache, neuralgia, 
on the pit of the stomach for weakness. 

ANOTHER STRENGTHENING PLASTER. 

Take of hemlock gum, burgundy pitch, equal 
parts, add one-fourth part white pine turpentine, 
melt together ; good plaster to strengthen. 

BLISTER PLASTER. 

Take mutton suet, beeswax, white resin, of 
each equal parts, add one portion Spanish flies 
pulverized. 



180 THE SICK MAN 5 S FRIEND. 

SALVES. 

Salves are medicines of proper consistency 
for spreading on linen or soft leather, designed 
for externa] use, for burns, ulcers, pain, &c. 
They are formed by uniting wax, resin, or oih 
with some remedial agent, either vegetable or 
some of the metalic oxides, such as red lead, &c. 

FEVER SORE SALVE. 

Take one teacupful of tar, two quarts water, 
boil together until the water is boiled out, then 
take it out, mix with it one table spoonful of red 
lead, one of goose or hen's oil, work it well to- 
gether, spread on cloth, renew twice a day. It 
soon heals, after everything else has failed. I 
have used this plaster for a great many years. 

SALVE FOR BURNS. 

The best salve for burns is to oint with dog's 
oil. For scalds with hot water, make a batter 
the consistency of pancake, with cream or milk 
and wheat flour ; apply once in six minutes for 
four or five times ; this takes out the fire. 

AROMATIC POULTICE. 

Take slippery elm bark, spikenard, equal 
parts ; stramonium leaves, cicuta leaves, poppy 
leaves, one eighth part, all to be pulverized, 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 181 

mix ; take some warm milk and stir in to make 
it of proper consistency for poultice ; change 
before it gets dry. This poultice eases pain and 
inflammation ; good to cleanse foul and ugly ul- 
cers. This is the poultice I have alluded to in 
all cases of inflammation. 

PILLS. 

Pills are round smooth substances, composed 
of vegetables, and are designed to operate in 
small doses ; in general they do not operate as 
soon as medicine in other forms. Pills are a 
good form to administer some kinds of medicine, 
as some can take it made in this manner better 
than any other. 

COMPOUND PILL. 

Pulverized Rheubarb - 1 ounce 

Aloes - - - - % do 

Gum Myrrh . - % do 

Oil Peppermint Y 2 drachm. 

All pulverized, mix with syrup of orange peel ; 
form into pills. Dose, two at bed time, five or 
six will produce emetic and cathartic ; good to 
cleanse the stomach and bowels. 

PALPITATION PILL. 

Take the yolk of an egg, the same bulk of 
rock soot, and same of black pepper, all made 



182 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

fine ; mix with vinegar, roll in cream tartar. 
Dose, one night and morning. With these pills 
I have cured a great many of the palpitation of 
the heart, they are a sure remedy. 

GUM PILL. 

Take egg shells, brown them at the fire, then 
pound up fine, mix with white pine gum, make 
into pills. Dose, two at a time three times a day. 
Good in fluor albus and whites, 

CROTON PILL 

Take ol croton oil two drops, extract of rhu- 
barb or mandrake one eighth oi an ounce ; make 
into pills. Dose, two a three every night, they 
keep the bowels regular; no debility. 

FEMALE REGULATOR PILL. 

Take white pine turpentine, four ounces cop- 
peras, make it fine, mix, roll into pills. Dose, 
two or three, three or four times a day. These 
will promote the menses when obstructed by 
taking cold, I have used tbem for a great 
many, they always prove effectual and safe. I 
have had some patients that have gone some four 
and six, one eleven months, she had several doc- 
tors, but could not make any move, then she 
.sent for me. I found her system too much re- 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 183 

duced to afford its return, gave the wine bitters 
one week, then these pills with the bitters, when 
she soon came around, got well ; and has been for 
five years. Worthy medicine this. 

ANTI-BILIOUS PHYSIO POWDER. 

Jalap Root 8 ounces 

Alexander Senna 1 pound 

Cloves 1 ounce 

Let these articles be separately pulverized, 
then mix them together and pass through a fine 
seive. Dose, a tea spoon rounding full. It 
should be put into a tea cup with some white 
sugar, a gill of boiling water added ; stir, give 
to the patient when cool ; best on an empty 
stomach. This makes the best general purga- 
tive that is known. It is very mild, and acts 
through the whole alimentary canal, cleansing 
it and producing a healthy action. It may be 
given to every age and sex ; it is valuable in 
bilious and febrile diseases. These articles must 
be genuine; gruel alone to be drank the day the 
above is taken, 

NERVOUS PILL. 

Assafoedita 1 ounce 

Opium 1 do 

Carbonate of Ammonia 1 do 

Dissolve these over a fire, mix, make into pills 



184 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

the size of a pea. Dose, one every hour, or two 
if necessary. It is useful in hysterics, and all 
nervous cases. 

OPIUM PILL. 

Take Turkey opium, cut out the soft part, 
make into pills the size of a pea, rub them in a 
little flour. Dose, one every hour or two if ne- 
cessary. This is the best form to give opium in 
very urgent and acute cases, in vomiting from 
any cause, attended with spasms, it affords 
prompt relief, and is also useful in colics, &c. 

IPECAC PILL. 

Take ipecac, make into pills with molasses the 
size of a pea. Dose, one or two, three times a 
day ; good for fevers, dyspepsia, &c. 

MANDRAKE PILL. 

Take extract of mandrake two parts, cayenne 
one part, mix, make into pills common size. 
Dose, three or four every night, or sufficient to 
regulate the bowels; excellent for liver, bilious, 
dropsical, dyspeptic and nervous complaints. 

BED, Or STIMULATING PILL. 

Take cayenne pepper, add sufficient of molas- 
ses and flour to form into pills. Useful in drop- 
sy of the chest, asthma, flatulency, indigestion, 
pain, &c. 



185 



ASTRINGENT WASH. 



Dried bark of large Hemlock ^ 

Upland Sumach, bark of root. I tt, ol ^ . 

Witch Hazel Bark, \ E( * ual P arts * 

White Oak Bark. J 

Make a strong decoction. This is useful to 
inject in fluor albus, to wash the parts in pro- 
lapsus uteri, or falling of the bowels and womb. 
It is most convenient to wet a sponge, tie a tape 
to it, and keep it up the uterus till the complaint 
is cured. A decoction of oak and alum is good. 

NEURALGIA WASH. 

Take of vinegar one teacup, sugar of lead 
one teaspoonful, fine salt two tea spoonfuls, lau- 
danum one tea spoonful, mix. Bathe the part 
affected with it, either cold or warm, to suit the 
patient. I use this a great deal in my practice, 
and always find it to give relief 

COMMON WASH. 

Take vinegar, water, salt ; wash or bathe. 
This is very beneficial in all kinds of fevers, or 
inflammations. It lessens fever, cools the pa- 
tient Wash with this twice a day all over. 
When there is high fever, wash every half hour 
the face, neck, hands and arms. 



186 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

EYE WATER, 

Sulphate of zinc 4 grains. 

Sugar of Lead 4 do 

Paregoric 30 drops 

Water 1 ounce. 

Good eye water, apply two or three times a day. 

INFLAMMATION EYE WATER. 

Take some green tag alder, two or three inch- 
es »hrough, eighteen inches long, bore a hole in 
the middle, fill it with rock salt, plug with the 
same kind of wood, bum by setting a fire at 
each end, up to near the salt, then take the salt 
out and pulverize it ; take an even tea spoonful 
of this with twenty-five drops paregoric. Wet 
the eyes three times a day. I have made gal- 
lons of it during the last twenty years. 

QUINSY LINIMENT. 

Sweet or Olive Oil 1 ounce 

Hartshorn 2 ounces. 

Spirits Camphor J^ ounce 

Shake well to mix. Bathe frequently the 
affected parts. Good for quinsy, sprains, and 
stiff joints. For quinsy, after bathing some 
time, put a piece of flannel around the neck, but 
bathe often. Soon cures. 

CRAMP LINIMENT. 

The same as the above, only add one half as 
much tincture of cayenne pepper. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 187 

RHEUMATIC LINIMENT. 

Oil of Hemlock 2 ounces 

Oil of Red Cedar 1 ounce 

Ca i phor )£ do 

Mix, shake well, bathe lightly. It is very 
powerful. Use in the commencement of all 
kinds of rheumatism. It often cures. 

TINCTURES.! 

i 

Tinctures are certain active ingredients, prin- 
cipally vegetable substances, which are imparted 
to alcohol. Spirits or wine tinctnres are excel- 
lent for administering a great variety of medical 
agents, but in some cases there may be an ob- 
jection to them, in consequence of the spirits 
which they contain. Substances yield their vir- 
tues more readily to spirits by the addition of 
heat. 

DROPSICAL TINCTURE. 

Bark of Sweet Elder 1 pound 

Good Wine 1 gallon 

Let it stand for an hour, strain and bottle. 
Dose, a wine glass three times a day. This tinc- 
ture is good in abdominal dropsy, and often 
cures without any other medicine. 

TINCTURE OF LOBELIA. 

Take of pulverized seeds and pods, two ounces, 



188 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 

spirits two quarts, let it stand five or six days 
and strain. 

VALERIAN, Or NERVINE TINCTURE. 

Skull Cap , 4 ounces 

American Lady Slipper 4 do 

Brandy 1 quart 

Bruise the plants, add to the brandy. Dose, 
from one to four tea spoonfuls in sweetened water 
as occasion may require. This is good in all 
nervous diseases 

TINCTURE OF CASTOR. 

Take of castor two ounces, spirits one quart, 
let it digest one week. Good in suppressed 
menses. 

EXPECTORANT AND SPASMODIC TINCTURE. 

Ipecac 2 ounces 

Lobelia Seeds . . 1 ounce 

Blood Root 1 do 

Cayenne Pepper 3^ do 

Wine, Spirits or Metheglin 3 pints 

Let it stand ten days ; when taken, mix some 
water. JDose, one table spoonful twice a day, 
oftener if occasion requires. Good in inflam- 
mation of the lungs, pleurisy, consumption, fits, 
whooping cough, and when there is an j difficul- 
ty of breathing. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 189 

TINCTURE OF FOXGLOVE. 

Fox Glove 1 ounce 

Proof Spirits 1 pint 

Let stand eight days then strain. Dose, irom 
fifteen to twenty drops three or four times a day, 
in some herb tea. Used in inflammatory disea- 
ses it lessens the pulse by diminishing excite- 
ment, and thereby prevents the necessity of 
bleeding. It is recommended in inflammation 
of the lungs, and is very valuable in dropsy of 
the chest, by promoting the urine. 

TINCTURE OF STRAMONIUM. 

Pulverized Seeds Stramonium 2 ounces 

Proof Spirits 1 quart 

Let it stand one week, when taken add some 
water. Dose, twenty-five drops twice a day, or 
as often as may be necessary. In fits it may be 
increased until it causes some pain or dizziness 
of the head. It is useful in epilepsy,neuralgia,&c. 

SWEATING DROPS, Or TINCTURE. 

Virginia Snake Root 1 ounce. 

Saffron 1 do 

Opium 1 do 

Camphor 1 do 

Ipecac 1 do 

Gin, or Proof Spirits 3 pints 

Let it stand fifteen days and strain. Dose, 
one tea spoonful in a wine glass of catnip tea 
every hour or two till it produces sweating. This 



190 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

tincture is probably the best medicine for which 
it is given, which is generally to produce free 
perspiration ; one or two doses, aided by warm 
teas, and bathing the feet, causes a good sweat. 
It is useful in a variety of diseases, in fevers, in. 
flammations, &e. 

TONIC TINCTURE. 

Horse Radish Root 1 pound 

White Oak Bark 10 ounces 

Golden Seal Root 4 ounces 

Seneca Snake Root ... 6 ounces 

Carbonate of Irun . 6 ounces 

Cayenne Pepper 2 ounces 

Good Hard Cider 4 gallons 

Bruise all fine, put in the cider, let it be sha- 
ken every day for twelve days. A sure remedy 
for intermittent fever, debility, and an impover- 
ished state of the blood, and is good in obstruct- 
ed menses, dropsy, worms, and many other 
complaints, and is also good for young females 
to promote the first periodical evacuations. 

SPASMODIC TINCTURE. 

Tincture of Lobelia 1 pint 

Tincture of Cayenne 1 do 

Compound Tincture of Lady Slipper 3 gills 

Mix and bottle for use. Dose, from a tea 
spoonful to a table spoonful in a wine glass of 
water or herb 'tea, to be *given every twenty 
minutes. This tincture is recommended for fits, 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 191 

spasms, and all violent attacks of disease, sus- 
pended animation from drowning, hanging, 
lightning, or any other cause, it is also good in 
cases where poisons have been taken. 

HOT DROPS, Or TINCTURE. 

Gum Myrrh 1 ounce 

Cayenne Pepper 1 do 

Good Proof Spirits . 1 pint 

Mix, let it stand two weeks, shake well every 
day. Dose, one tea spoonful in sweetened water 
or milk, it may be repeated if necessary. Very 
useful for cramp in the^stomach, colic, good when 
a person is suffering with cold chills, summer 
complaints, dysentery, cholera, &c. 

LAUDANUM, Or TINCTURE OF OPIUM. 

Turkey Opium 1 ounce 

Proof Spirits 1 pint 

Let stand one week. Dose, from thirty to 
sixty drops, administer as an anodyne. 

TINCTURE PAREGORIC. 

Opium 1 drachm 

Flowers of Benzoin 1 do 

Camphor Gum 2 scruples 

Anise 1 drachm 

Proof Spirits 1 quart 

Dose, a tea spoonful for a child a year old ; 
given to allay irritation, for bathing and liniment. 



192 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

ESSENCE OF PEPPERMINT. 

Oil of Peppermint 1 ounce 

Alcohol. 1 pint 

Mix, dose, tu enty-.fi ve or thirty drops. Useful 
in pain of the breast, sprains, &c. 

ESSENCE OF HEMLOCK. 

Made in the same manner. Dose, twenty-five 
or thirty drops in sweetened water, useful in 
rheumatism and pain in the breast, sprains, &c. 

ESSENCE OF SASSAFRAS. 

Made in the same manner. It is very useful 
in gout, rheumatism, pain in the breast, urinary 
diseases, &c. All other essences are made in 
the same manner, and their virtues are the same 
as the oils from which they are made. 

TO STOP VOMITING. 

Take one teaspoon ful each of rhubarb and 
cream tartar, half spoonful soda, four table 
spoons of water. Dose, one tea spoonful every 
six minutes. 

WASH FOR FRECKLES. 

Take horse radish, grate, add vinegar, let it 
stand one week, bathe the face neck and hands 
frequently* 

ERUPTIVE WASH. 

Take yellow dock, poke root, lobelia, equal 



THE SICK MiN's FRIEND. 193 

parts pulverized or bruised, add one table spoon- 
ful to one pint of vinegar. Bathe often for erup- 
tions of the skin. 

TOOTH POWDER. 

Take fine salt, scorch it till brownish, g make 
fine, add charcoal made fine, rub the teeth and 
rinse with water. 

TO PRESERVE THE TEETH. 

Put nothing, either hot or cold to them, either 
food or drink, no metalic tooth pick, keep them 
well cleansed with the above powder. 

FRENCH TOOTH PASTE. 

Take of anodyne plaster one ounce, add three 
grains of arsenic, the same of quinine, mix. 
Where the tooth is decayed to the nerve, fill it 
with this paste, let it remain two hours, then 
take it out and throw it way. If it comes to the 
nerve it will pain no more, neither will it decay. 
I know of teeth which I pasted fifteen years ago, 
they are good teeth yet. 

CURE FOR WENS. 

Take the yolks of eggs, beat up and a 'id as 
much fine salt as will dissolve, and apply a 
plaster to the wen every eight hours. It cures 
without pain or any other inconvenience ; the 
same cures corns. 



194 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 

WINE OF IPECACUANHA, 01* TINCTURE 

Roc t of Ipecacuanha, in powder 1 ounce 

Malaga Wine 1 pint 

Macerate one week and strain. Dose, for 
adults one ounce, children one or two years old, 
one tea spoonful every ten minutes till it pukes 
them. 

CARROT POULTICE. 

Boiled Carrot, mashed 1 pound 

Flour 1 ounce 

Butter % do 

Mix them with a sufficient quantity of hot 
water to form a pulp. This will be found a val- 
uable application to ulcerated sores and swellings 
scrofulous sores, and many other inveterate ul- 
cers. 

YEAST POULTICE. 

Take of milk a little warm, one pint, yeast 
one gill, stir in fine elm bark to form a poultice, 
this is a good poultice to apply to gangrenous 
ulcers, it is better than any other ; it soon arrests 
mortification \ Used with proper auxiliaries, it is 
very serviceable in other species of inflamma- 
tion. 

ANOTHER CARROT POULTICE. 

Take the common carrot, scrape, add to it a 
decoction of spikenard root, and stir in Indian 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 195 

meal ; this poultice is good in all cases of in- 
flammation bordering on gangrene or mortifica- 
tion, and other sores. 

WILD TURNIP POULTICE. 

Take of the tops and roots if green, if dry, 
the roots of the wild turnip only ; steep in water 
and add slippery elm bark and a little stramon- 
ium leaves made fine, and poppy leaves fine, 
form into a poultice. This poultice is used in 
the treatment of kings evil or scrofula, with 
good effect. I think it is superior to all other 
poultices in scrofula, in a state of swelling and 
inflammation. 

WHITE POPPY SYRUP. 

Take white poppy heads, steep them in warm 
water for ten or fifteen hours, then boil a few 
minutes and strain, and add sufficient sugar to 
keep from souring; this makes a good anodyne 
for infants and children. Prepared in this man- 
ner there is less of the narcotic property of. the 
herb, than when prepared with spirits. Dose, 
the same as paregoric. It relieves cough and 
griping pains similar to paregoric, and is about 
the same strength. 

CORDIAL FOR DYSENTERY, SUMMER & LOOSENESS. 

Take choke cherries, if they can be had. if not 



196 THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 

take the bark of the rout, steep them in cheap 
spirits, make it strong, and add half as much 
paregoric to it. Dose, for an adult, one table 
spoonful, children, according to age ; if there is 
any movement of the bowels in half an hour, 
take half a dose soon, until it is stopped. Be 
sure not to drink any water, if you do it will 
come on again. I have had hundreds of cases 
in the last twenty-five years, and have not failed 
in one single case as yet. 

CANKER POWDER. 

Heat a bar of steel till red, then hold a roll of 
brimstone on it, let it melt and run off into a dish 
of cold w r ater set for that purpose, then take it 
out and let it dry, then make it fine, and it is fit 
for use. I use this powder in all cases, spots 
and places where there is any canker. Sprinkle 
on the dry powder occasionally, canker will 
soon disappear. 

CHAFING OK GALLING. 

Very fleshy people are subject to this, young 
children are very apt to become chafed in differ- 
ent parts of the body, especially about the arms, 
ears, wrinkles about the neck, groins, &c, occa- 
sioned by being much moistened with sweat or 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 197 

urine ; these prove very troublesome to children, 
in some cases it is owing to an undue care of the 
mother or nurse to prevent and remove all such 
when they do occur. To prevent this it will be 
best to wash these parts daily, and change its 
clothes often and keep the child sweet and clean. 
After all this care, should there be any chafing, 
then, after washing, dry the parts and sprinkle 
them with the canker powder. 

TO REGULATE INFANTS BOWELS. 

The bowels of all infants at the time of their 
birth are filled with a darkish colored matter ; 
generally nature is sufficient to carry it off, if 
assisted by its mother's milk, which is always of 
a loosening nature. Infants should be soon ap- 
plied to the breast and learned to nurse, and 
after the child is two months old its bowels should 
be regulated, for which take magnesia and cream 
tartai\ equal parts, given in water; this regulates. 
children's cordial. 

Take two ounces each pink blows, smell age 
root and pleurisy root, boil in two quarts of 
water down to one quart, strain, add one quait 
proof spirits and one pound of white sugar. Dose 
for a small child, one teaspoonful, repeat if ne- 



198 txuc sick man's fiuend. 

cessary ; good for wind, colics, fits, gripings, 
green stools. It is very soothing and quieting 
for children, much better than paregoric. 

FEMALE STRENGTHENING SYRUP. 

Take four ounes comfrey root, dried, two ounces 
of elacampane root, one ounce hoarhound. Boil 
them in three quarts of water down to three 
pints, strain and add while warm, half an ounce 
of beth root pulverized, one pint of spirits and 
one pound of loat sugar. Dose, half a wine 
glass full three or four times a day, useful in fe- 
male weaknesses, bearing down of the womb, 
fluor albus, debility and relaxation of the geni- 
tal organs, barrenness, &c. 

TO RESTORE THE HAIR. 

Take of pulverized lobelia herbs, fill a bottle 
full, add proof spirits, three parts, and one part 
bears or dogs oil, pour in as much as it will con- 
tain. It will soon be fit for use, rub the head 
once a day with this liquid. This has produced 
a beautiful head of hair ; the scalp should be 
well rubbed with a coarse rough cloth previous 
to applying the tincture. The head should be 
rubbed the same way you wish to comb the hair, 
no other way, as it will break off the young fine 
hairs. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND, 199 

SPEARMINT TEA. 

Take spearmint and hot water, steep a short 
time and strain. Dose one table spoonful every 
two hours for a child one year old ; this tea is 
said to be one of the most powerful vermifuges 
in the vegetable kingdom. It is warming to the 
stomach, good to relieve nausea and vomiting. 
Those who have children that are subject to an 
excess of worms, will find the i importance of the 
use of this tea, with other medicines, such as 
tansy and sage, and is good to diminish fever 
and inflammation, by promoting a discharge of 
urine. 

NEUTRALIZING CORDIAL. 

Take of rhubarb, saleratus or soda, and pep- 
permint herb, equal parts, all pulverized and 
mixed ; take a large tea spoonful in halt a pint 
of boiling water, when cool strain, sweeten with 
loaf sugar and add a table spoonful ot spirits. 
Dose, one or two table spoonfuls every quarter, 
half or one or two hours, according to symptoms. 
This is one of the most valuable preparations 
known for cholera morbus, cholera infantum or 
summer complaints of children, diarrhea, dysen- 
tery, &c. Its operation and action appear to be 



200 THE SICK MAN'S FUIEND. 

a specific, if not infallible, and is excellent for 
pregnant women, to allay sickness and regulate 
the bowels. 

COMPOUND POWDER OF MANDRAKE. 

Take of pulverized mandrake root, spearmint 
herb pulverized, and cream tartar, equal parts, 
mix. Dose, one teaspoonful in tea or syrup, 
useful in diseases of the liver, venereal, obstruct- 
ed menses, dyspepsia, dropsy, and in every taint 
of the system. 

TINCTIRE OF LOBELIA. 

Take of lobelia fresh gathered herbs, a quanti- 
ty, bruise in a mortar and put into an earthen or 
tin vessel, press it down close and firm, then add 
of proof spirits sufficient to cover the herbs, stop 
the vessel close, and let it stand three or four 
days, then strain and press out the liquor from 
the herbs, and to each quart of this tincture add 
one ounce of the essencs of sassafras, and bottle 
it for use. Dose, as an emetic, from one to ten 
tea bpoonfuls, as occasion may require. This 
tincture is valuable, not only as an emetic, but 
also as an expectorant and external application 
to wounds, bruises, inflammations, ulcers, erup- 
tions of the skin, and poisons of every descrip- 
tion. 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 201 

VEGETABLE CATHARTIC PILLS- 

Maodrake Root . 6 ounces 

Blood Root 4 do 

Culver's Physic Root 4 do 

Aloes 4 do 

Anise Seeds 4 do 

Cayenne 3^ do 

all finely pulverized, sifted and well mixed, to 
form into pills ; make a thick mucilage of gum 
arabic or slippery elm bark, by dissolving in 
water, or instead of this take molasses and 
moisten the powders just so as to have them ad- 
here together, then form into pills the size of a 
pea, and roll them in fine slippery elm or flour, 
lay them in a dry place exposed to the air to dry, 
after which they may be put in boxes. Have a 
little fine baberry or elm mingled with them to 
prevent their sticking together. Dose, from three 
to six, in ordinary cases, at bed time, or two- 
thirds may be taken at night and the rest in the 
morning. 

CANCER WASH. 

White Vitriol, or Sulphate of Zinc 2 ounces 

Copperas 1 do 

Gum Powder 1 do 

Blue Vitriol 1 do 

Saltpetre 1 do 

Sugar of Lead % do 

Rain Wal er 1 pint 

Put the whole in a bottle; cork it firm. It 



202 the sick man's fkiend. 

should not be suffered to stand open, as it will 
spoil Shake up when used. 

This wash cures cancers, warts and corns. 

Apply often with a feather, or some other con- 
venient article. 

SWEATING POWDER. 

Gum Opium % drachm 

Camphor. . . 2 do 

Ipecacuanha 1 do 

Super Carbonate of Soda 1 ounce 

Pulverize all separately, then mix ; best to use 
pulverized opium. D<>se, half a teaspoonful as 
often as may be necessary. This forms a good 
anodyne. As a sweating medicine it is one of 
the best powders employed in fevers, diarrhea, 
dysentery, cholera morbus, and St. Anthony's 
Fire ; also in all cases where an anodyne is re- 
quired. It promotes perspiration without in- 
creasing the heat of the body. It produces a 
constant moisture of the skin for a great length 
of time. It is useful to allay all irritations 
I have used it in my practice for many years 
with very great success. 

OUKE FOE AGUE AND FEVEB. 

Sulphate of Quinia 2 Scruples 

Cayenne Pepper 3^ °"nce 

Oil of Vitriol 25 drops 

Spirits of Turpentine 30 drops, 

Soft or Rain Water 1% pints 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND. 203 

Put all in a bottle, shake it well, and it is fit 
for use. Dose, one table spoonful three times a 
day. This preparation is used in every variety 
of ague diseases. I have during the past fifteen 
years given it to one thousand persons, at least, 
and a cure has been complete in every case and 
climate throughout the Union. This is the first 
time that it has been committed to print. As 
this disease reduces the patient very low it will 
be best to recruit with the wine bitters ; they 
are an excellent tonic. 

GENERAL DEBILITY. 

Many times persons are afflicted with uni- 
versal langour, debility or great weakness, with- 
out being able to trace it to any particular cause. 
They complain of a sense of sinking, loss of 
appetite, sleep interrupted, no ambition or 
strength to do any kind of work, and no par- 
ticular organ seemingly deranged. 

TREATMENT. 

First, cleanse the stomach and bowels ; second 
make use of the blood cleansing bitters ; third, 
if the patient is weak, take the wine bitters ; 
fourth, use a healthy diet, free exercise in the 
open air ; dispise the use of tobacco in anv of 



204 THE sick man's fkiend 

its forms; sixth, reject ardent spirits as a 
beverage at all times ; seventh, live a sober, 
temperate life in all things, and your last days 
will be your best days. 

CONCLUSION. 

The author trusts he has abundantly shown 
that the indications to be answered in the treat- 
ment of disease are few, and easily compre- 
hended. And now, if all the various articles 
calculated to answer each one of those indica- 
tions could be thrown together under one head, 
how much more easy would it be for an indi 
vidual having but a slight knowledge of medi- 
cines to understand and apply them ; the prac- 
titioner, or the family could at once refer to the 
class from which he or they wished to make a 
selection, and choose such as appeared most 
appropriate to the case. It has been my object 
to make this work so plain that it would answer 
the purpose for which it was prepared, viz : — 
"JThe Sick Man's Friend," being often solicited 
by my friends and patrons, and anxious to have 
my practice and treatment alter I had left the 
world is the cause and the reasons together for the 
Botanic Re nedies used in the healing art to 



THE SICK MAN'S FRIEND 205 

become known to after generations. There would 
be something highly systematic, beautiful, and 
jet simple, in such an arrangement ; and I hope 
that ultimately the advancement of medical sci- 
ence will lead to this important result, and all 
other important information from every accessi- 
b e source; and that I shall be pardoned through- 
out for crediting but few quotations or authorities 
which I thought proper to use. 



GENERAL INDEX. 



Asthma 58 

Ague in the Breast 80 

Anodyne Carminative Drops 172 

Astringent Gargle . ,174 

Army Itch Ointment 175 

Anodyne Plaster 179 

Another Strengthening Plaster. 179 

Aromatic Poultice ISO 

Anti Bilious Physic Powder 183 

Astringent Wash .185 

Another Carrot Poultice ... _ . 194 

Angelica , 1 26 

Alum Root ..127 

A Word to the Wise 19 

Agrimony 127 

Asarium, Swamp Asarabacca...l27 

American Ipecac 129 

American G entian 143 

Aven's Koot 131 

American Geutian. 160 

Bleeding at the nose 71 

Burns and Scalds 98 

Blood Koot.. ; 158 

Bi ood Bitters 170 

Blister Plaster 179 

Beach Drops 161 

Blood Root 132 

Boneset . _ 1 41 

Balsam Fir ..154 

Black Cohosh 159 

Black Pepper 161 

Black Alder 161 

Black Birch . 163 

Blood Wort Striped 165 

Bearberry.. _. ...130 

Common Plaster 179 

Cure forW T ens 193 

Chronic Inflammation of the 

Bronchial Tubes 53 

Canker Powder 196 

Colds and Cough... 54 

Croup 56 

Consumption 61 

Cramp in the Stomach 69 

Canker Thrush or Sore Mouth . . 71 
Cessation of the Menses, or turn 

of Life 75 



Culver's physic .161 

Carbuncle 81 

Chilblains 84 

Common Weak Eyes 91 

Corns and Warts 96 

Cancers 99 

Chronic Rheumatism J 09 

Compounds or Formulas .17<J 

Cough Drops 172 

Common Fomentation 174 

Common Injection. . _ 174 

Con gh Powders ...177 

Colic Powder.. 178 

Catarrh Snuff 178 

Compound Pill... 181 

Croton Pill.... ....182 

Common Wash 185 

Carrot Poultice . 1 94 

Chamomile 1%8 

Colts Foot -128 

Calumba 1 49 

Cranes Bill 151 

Clivers 1 52 

Cordial for Dysentery, &c 195 

Common Salt 168 

Cure for Ague and Fever 202 

Cramp Liniment 1 86 

Children's Cordial 197 

Compound Powder, Mandrake ..200 

Canker Wash S01 

Common Emetic Powder ..178 

Catnip 153 

Celandine 130 

Caraway 1 64 

Cream of Tartar 168 

Copperas 169 

Cicuta... 143 

Chafing or Galling 196 

Cure for Dysentery, &c 119 

Delirium Tremens. 64 

Deafness - 98 

Diphtheria _ 104 

Dropsy of the Abdomen HI 

Diuretic Drops... 171 

Dover Powder 176 

Diuretic Decoction .. 173 

Dropsical Tincture 187 



ISDEX. 



207 



Dead] y Night Shade 128'Hot Props or Tincture 191 

Dog Wooo. .144 iltch Ointment 175 

Direction for gathering Plants. .122jInfiammation of the Ear 54 

Enlargement of the Tonsils 95| ' k Lungs ...60 

Eye Water 1£6| " Eyes 89 

Expectorant & Spasmodic Tine- M Eye Water ISO 

tare ...ISSilnvolmitary discharge of Urine. 73 



Essence Peppermint 192 

44 Hemlock... 192 

" Sussairas .192 

Eruptive Wash 195 

Elacampane 141 

Elder ..160 

Erysipelas 11 

Female Strengthening Svmp.. J 98 

French Tooth Paste . 193 

Female Regulator Pill 183 

Fevers in General 

Fever, intermittent. Ague 



Chill. 

Fever. Scarlet 

Kemittent 

Infantile Remittent. 
Inflammatory. 



36 



2 Inflammatory Rheumatism 107 

1 Indian Fever Root 157 

2 Itch 97 

J Inflammation of the Womb 113 

Brain 42 

► Jaundice 78 

'Juniper.. ._ 1G6 

■ Knot Root 158 

s Liver Complaint 63 

'Life Root 132 

[Lobelia... ..- 141 

Laudanum Tincture 191 

i Locked Jaw 1-0 

I Mallows .145 

: Mumps 55 

I Melancholy. 

i M ercuriai Rheumatism 1< 

Simple Continued 44 j Mustard ..145 

Nervous 45 Milk Weed 148 

Putrid Malignant 47 \i ountain Mint .151 

Puerperal.... ... 51 Man Root 153 

Flatulent Colic 66 Mullein 163 

Film on the Eye . . . BljMonntain Dittany 167 

Felon or Whitlow . . 94! Mandrake 128 

Fever Sore 10*' Measles HO 

Fever Sore Salve... IS' Male Fern 135 

Feather Few 132 Neutralizing Cordial 199 

Fox Glove 145|Neuralgia Wash 1S5 

Five Fingers or Cinquefoil 161 Oak Bark -184 

Plowing Powders.... 176 Onanism, Self Pollution 115 

Granulation of Eye Lids 89 Paregoric Tincture - " 

Godfreys Cordial 173 Pleurisy 60 

Gravel Decoction ITS Palpitation of the .Heart 62 

Golden Seal 155 Powders 176 

Gold Thread 158 Palsy - ^ 

Gum Myrrh 159 Piles - 82 

Gai 1 1 67 Pile Ointment 175 

Good Piaster __.I7t- Palpitation Pill 181 



General Debility 

General Rules fJr Practice 9 

Hysterics G" 

Heartburn 69 

Hydrophobia.. 104 

Hoi lyhock 165 

Hemlock . ...169 



Headache. 
Hops 



Pill, Gum 1*2 

Nervous -1S3 

Opium 184 

Ipecac 184 

Mandrake 184 

Red, or Stimulating .184 

Pleurisy Root 142 



Hoarhound 156 Poplar. 148 



112 Poppy 150 



.150 Pennyroyal .152 



208 



INDEX. 



Prickly Ash 135 

Partridge Berry _ 153 

Psoas, Lumbar Abcess 103 

Poke Weed 136 

Quinsy, Sore Throat 56 

Quinsy Liniment 186 

Queen of the Meadow ..141 

detention of the Menses 74 

Rose 164 

Ring Worms 96 

Rheumatic Decoction. 173 

Rheumatic Liniment.. 187 

Rhubarb Root... 129 

Red Raspberry .157 

Rules Guiding to Health 10 

Surgical Operation 118 

Sweating Powder 202 

Suppression of the Menses 

Strengthening Eye Wash 91 

Suppression 'and Retention of 

Urine 9 

Salt Rheum 95 

Sore 'i hroat Gargle 174 



Stramonium _ . 132 

Summer Complaints, &c 72 

Spearmint Tea 199 

Tooth Drops 172 

Tincture of Lobelia .187 & 200 

Castor... 188 

Fox Glove --189 

Stramonium ..189 

To Restore the Hair 198 

Tonic Tincture 190 

To Stop Vomiting : ..192 

Tooth Powder 193 

Tobacco 22 

To Preserve the Teeth 193 

Tansy 147 

To Regulate Infants Howels....l97 

Vegetable Cathartic Pill 201 

Vomiting 70 

Venereal Disease 84 

Valarian or Nervine Tincture. ..188 

Virg nia Snake Root e 151 

Whites, or Fluor Albus 74 

Worms 79 



siicking Plaste.i ... ...175|White Swelling.. 82 

Sticking or Adhesive Plaster. . .179; Worm Powder. 177 

Salve for Burns 180; Wash for Freckles 192 

Sweating Drops sr Tincture 189 Wine of Ipecacuanha or Tinct. .194 

Spasmodic Tincture lOOjWild Turnip . 147 

Sweet Balsam 156 Wild Carrot 183 



Sweet Flag 130 

SairVon, Garden Saffron . . ..133 

Spikenard ..134 

Sumach 136 

Sampson Snake Root 143 

Skunk Cabbage .146 

Seneca Snake Root. . 148 

Spearmint .149 

Sweat Root .154 

Skull Cap 158 

Slippery Elm 156 

Smart Weed 157 

St. John's Wort .164 



Wild Indigo 1*J 

Wintergic n.-._ 141 

Willow, Rose 144 

Wormwood. __ 146 

Wandering Milk Weed 149 

White Hellebore.... ...16 

Whortleberry 166 

Wine Bitters 171 

White Poppv Syrup 195 

Wild Turnip Poultice 195 

Yeast Poultice 194 

Yaw Root 167 

Yellow Fever. 31 



